Adolescent Girls and Puberty

Puberty is the time when girls sprout up, fill out as well as maybe even mouth off. We hope you might know it was awkward enough for you as well when you were the one who was going through it. So how can you help your child to deal with all these changes in her body and mind? In this article, we will help you out in knowing all the things that a girl faces during her adolescence as well as puberty.

What is puberty in girls?

As we have already mentioned above, it is the period during which girls undergo the process of sexual maturation. Puberty is rather a series of various physical steps or stages which result in the development of fertility and the emergence of the secondary sex characteristics, some sort of physical features related to adult females. On the other hand, girls also go through a series of physical as well as biological transformations. All these things can even have an effect on the emotional or psychosocial changes in the adolescent.

Long story short, puberty is a stage of sexual maturation and development of fertility of adolescent.
The age of puberty varies from individuals to individuals but in girls, puberty begins generally in the age of 11 to 15.
The composition of body and the growth also play a significant role in the onset of puberty in girls.
It is also related to the onset of secondary sex characteristics and the consistent growth of the body.
Breast development is specifically the very first sign of the puberty in girls.
It is rather followed by mood swings as well as emotional changes.
A teen may grow several inches in several months.

But is also important to remember that all such changes will be happening differently for each and every teen. Some girls may see these changes in maturity sooner or later as compared to others. Everyone goes through the puberty at her own pace.

What is the timing of puberty in girls?

Well, even the doctor cannot guarantee the exact timing of the onset of puberty in girls. There is a number of factors which depend on its onset. Some people say that if a girl has a critical body composition tend to experience the early onset of puberty. On the other hand, the increase of obesity in childhood is also the sign of the onset of puberty in general as per many reports. There is a hormone named as Leptin is produced by adipocytes in the body has been referred as one of the most possible factors of the timing of onset of puberty in girls. However, the onset of puberty in girls occurs between the ages of 11 to 15. Not only this but also during some cases it happens earlier. Nutritional as well as various other environmental changes are the reasons to influence this.

Stages of puberty in girls

The teen girl will be experiencing certain body changes during the process of puberty. There will be typical body pattern along with a generally predictable sequence of conditions. As said earlier, the first and the foremost sign of puberty is the breast development which mostly begins at an average age of 12 years approximately. On the other hand, the growth of pubic hair begins after breast development which is again followed by hair growth in armpits. Finally, there is the onset of the menstruation which happens after the completion of the physical changes and in general, it usually occurs one year after the onset of puberty. The general pattern of ovulation followed by the development of fertility generally develops in a fast way after a girl starts getting monthly menstrual periods. Having said that the girl who experiences menstruation in later age after 14 years tend to have lower rates of regular ovulation.

What are the physical changes that girls experience during puberty?

Following are some of the physical changes that girls undergo during their puberty:

Weight changes

During this age, the girls experience the changes in both body as well as weight composition. Let us elaborate it now. The teenage girl develops a good amount of body fat as compared to boys. This means there is the redistribution of body fat towards the upper as well as lower portions of the body which leads to a curvier shape.

Increase in bone density

Girls during their puberty get to see the growth of bones and an increase in its density. The mineralization of bones rises during the time of the beginning of the menstrual period. Doctors say that the width of bones boosts first and then there is the rise of mineral content in it. And this is the only time where there is a gap between the achievement of bone density and growth of bone due to which teen girls have a high risk for fractures if they face any injuries.

Increase in height

During the adolescence, the teen experience a rapid increase in height and this rapid growth of height usually lasts for two to three years. The growth spurt generally precedes the beginning of menstruation by around 8 months.

What are emotional changes that occur during puberty in girls?

Girls undergo various stages of emotional changes. Such changes are almost similar to all adolescents. However, the changes generally occur how the teen girls respond to her near and dear ones and views herself. Secondly, not all the emotional changes are related to negativity such as being upset or onset of negative thoughts. This is because puberty is such a period when the girl learns to express her goals and interests. Not only this but also she learns to respond to others in a mature way. However, if you face some unusually severe emotional changes, then there is a need for urgent medical help.

What causes menstruation?

Menstruation is the final result of puberty in girls which means this is the period when a girl is capable enough to bear a baby. When the menstrual cycle starts, the level of estrogen rises which results in the lining of the uterus to thicken. The thickened lining of the uterus can support a fertilized egg and then develop into a pregnancy. Now if there is no fertilized egg, the body will break the lining down and excrete it out of the uterus.

When will you get your first period?

Most of the teen girls start their first periods between the ages of 12 as well as 13 years. Having said that it is completely normal if your body welcomes your first period a little sooner or later as well. Long story short, the menstruation will be starting near about two and a half years after the development of breast.

Signs before getting the first period

Firstly we need to understand that there are some people who start their period without any sort of warning. On the other hand, others may see premenstrual syndrome during their period days. Following are symptoms you will be experienced before or during your first period:

Bloating in abdomen
Acne problem
Back pain
Soreness in the breasts
Experiencing more tiredness than normal
Cravings for foods such as sweets or chocolates
Sudden mood swings
White vaginal discharge just before the menstruation

So all the above-mentioned points are the clear symptoms.

What should you do if your period just started?

If your period has just started and you don’t have anything to use then you do not need to worry. You can use a temporary pad which will help you to hold the things. Finally, when you are out of such a situation you will be able to take a proper pad. These days there are lots of reusable cloth pads available which are much more hygienic as compared to the normal cotton pads.

Switching over to the reusable is a matter worth thinking again. Most of the women are probably searching for alternatives to disposable pads. By the grace of God, there are other choices. These choices will make a great impact on the health and hygiene of women.

Do you know there are numerous reasons not to support the disposable menstrual product? Gio Care is one such organisation which manufactures reusable cloth pads for those who are in search of a better and healthier alternative. Following are some of the reasons how our reusable cloth pads are different:

Our reusable cloth pads can help in reducing the menstrual cramps, skin rashes and various other infections that the disposable pads result.
Reusable cloth pads cost larger in initial but they last much longer. With proper care, our cloth pads can last for years.
Switching to our reusable cloth can be a striking example of positive change in the environment which can definitely make a difference.
When it comes to our cloth pads with the right maintenance, they are just more sanitary. Most importantly, it is clean and it will not leak out the stain.

We hope this article was informative to you. If you have any query about selecting to our menstrual cloth pad, feel free to reach us. We will be happy to help you out.

Ms Joyeeta Bhattacharyya

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