Puberty in Males and Females

Puberty / Sexual maturity in Males : Puberty is the age at which the reproductive system becomes functional, the sex organs begin producing gametes and sex hormones, and secondary sexual characters appear. In males, the onset of puberty occurs around age 12–15 years; under the influence of testosterone, the secondary sexual characters develop, and thereafter the reproductive system remains functional throughout life.

Puberty / Sexual maturity in Females : In females, the reproductive system becomes functional at puberty too, marked by the onset of the menstrual cycle, called menarche, which usually occurs at age 10–14 years. Unlike in males, however, mature females continue to show cyclic changes in their reproductive system — the menstrual cycles — which continue only up to menopause, normally occurring around age 45–50 years. The period from menarche to menopause is therefore the female's reproductive age; afte …