Introduction to the developmental stages of girls

Many girls are in puberty, and they may have some deficiencies in their development stage. The following articles will introduce some preventive care for girls in their development stage, as well as various conditions that may arise, and how to popularize knowledge in the hospital.

Puberty refers to the physiological developmental stage of transition from childhood to adulthood. It is also the process in which the development of internal and external reproductive organs in the fetal period continues to advance towards maturity after a period of stagnation (i.e. childhood). Girls in this period have their own unique aspects both physically and psychologically. (1) Physiological characteristics: From birth to the age of 8 to 9, although the internal and external genitalia of boys and girls are different, the functions of male and female gonads are suppressed and the concentration of sex hormones in the body is very low. Although height and weight increase rapidly, there is no gender difference. On average, after the age of 11 (range 9 to 12 years), girls' secondary sexual characteristics gradually develop, mainly manifested in the beginning of bulging of bilateral breasts, gradual enlargement of nipples, and gradual deepening of pigmentation; pubic hair and axillary hair begin to appear in the vulva and armpits. It takes about 4 years (range 1.5 to 6 years) for girls' secondary sexual characteristics to appear and develop completely. At the same time, the pigmentation of the labia majora and minora gradually deepens and enlarges, and white secretions begin to appear. The internal reproductive organs also develop at the same time, such as the vagina becoming longer and wider, the mucosa becoming thicker and more wrinkled, the fallopian tubes becoming thicker, and the uterus becoming larger. On average, the first menstruation occurs around the age of 13 (10 to 16 years old), which is called menarche. Ovulation will occur after another 2 to 5 years, and the women will then be able to have children. There are two important characteristics of girls' puberty: First, from about 9 and a half years old, girls' height growth suddenly accelerates, reaching a peak of 6 to 8 cm per year, and then gradually slows down until the epiphysis closes and no longer grows. By around 18 years old, the height can increase by about 25 cm. Secondly, the body's subcutaneous fat deposits increase, especially in the hips and buttocks. At the same time, the pelvis and hips also widen, forming a feminine body shape with soft curves. This series of changes in physical shape marks the gradual growth of a girl into a young woman.

During the development stage of girls, we must pay attention to breast care. Don't sleep in tight bras, especially bras with body shaping and underwires. These are not allowed. Don't eat foods that are too cold, as this will have serious consequences for your menstrual period.