Page 132 - Urological Health

Stepping into puberty: What to expect?

Dr. Kourosh Afshar
Pediatric Urologist
Associate Professor, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Heidi Scott, RN
Nurse Clinician, Division of Urology, BC Children’s Hospital
Vancouver, BC, Canada

What does normal puberty look like?

Puberty happens when your child’s body starts to change into an adult. Puberty is marked by physical
and emotional/intellectual changes. It involves the onset of sexuality and the ability to reproduce and,
in girls, the ability to get pregnant. Normal puberty starts when brain hormones stimulate the ovaries
in girls and the testicles in boys. Ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone and
testicles produce the male hormone testosterone.

Puberty in girls
UNDER REVIEW
The age when puberty starts is unique for each child. Usually the physical changes begin around eight
to 13 years old. By 15 or 16, a girl’s body will reach adult proportions. Most girls begin getting their
period about two years after their breasts start to enlarge.

Here are some changes to expect during this time:
• Breast start to form
• Development of pubic hair and underarm hair
• First menstrual period

• Nipples and areolae and nipples darken
• Hips widen, thighs may become thicker
On average, girls get their first menstrual period when they are about 12 or 13 years old. Some girls get
their first period as early as eight or nine. Others may not get it until their mid-teens.
• Girls are born with all their eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. When a girl reaches
puberty, an egg ripens once a month. The egg then leaves one of the two ovaries (ovulation).
This cycle is controlled by the brain hormones.
• During the ovulation cycle, the ovaries also release hormones. These create a thick and
cushioned uterus lining (endometrium).
• Around the time of ovulation, the uterus is ready for a possible pregnancy. If the pregnancy
does not happen, the uterus flushes away the extra tissue lining which flows out of the
vagina (menstrual period).

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