What is puberty?
Q: What is puberty?
A: Puberty is the process in which children's bodies change into adults. It is started by hormones, and includes physical changes such as sex organs growing bigger, hair appearing on the body, and growing taller and stronger.
Q: When does puberty typically start for girls?
A: On average, girls start puberty at age 10 or 11.
Q: When does puberty typically start for boys?
A: On average, boys start puberty at age 11 or 12.
Q: What are secondary sex characteristics?
A: Secondary sex characteristics are physical changes that occur during puberty such as boys' voices getting deeper and girls growing breasts and starting to menstruate (have periods).
Q: How can a boy make a girl pregnant after he has gone through puberty?
A: After he has gone through puberty, a boy's body begins making sperm, and he starts to be able to ejaculate semen from his penis when he is sexually excited. If he has sexual intercourse (sex) with a girl, he can make her pregnant.
Q: Why is reaching the stage of being able to make children seen as important?
A: Because it marks an important milestone in life where one becomes an adult capable of creating new life. Therefore people in many countries around the world have different ways of marking this event.
