Living things are sophisticated creatures that undergo a series of growth and development prior to them attaining maturity. In humankind, for instance, the process begins at conception and is followed by a series of cell multiplication and differentiation that subsequently results to a more complex organism. Cell multiplication results to growth whereas cell differentiation leads to development. All these processes are continuous up to some point and they cause irreversible or rather permanent changes in the bodies of all living forms. In some stages of growth, these changes may go unnoticed while in others the change becomes more apparent. In human beings, the most notable change that occurs during our growth is called puberty.
Puberty refers to the physical changes that occur when a child is developing into an adult (ASRM, 2014). These changes can take various forms such as hormone synthesis, the growth of pubic hairs, menstruation cycle, breasts and chest enlargement, muscular gains or the growth of bones (ASRM, 2014). During this stage, the brain usually coordinates frequently with the ovaries as well as the adrenal glands. In the end, the ovaries synthesize hormones that define female characteristics while the adrenal glands process hormones that give the males their characteristics. The girls in this regards will develop breasts and they will start receiving their menstruation cycle. They will also appear to grow taller than boys of their age do since they start their changes earlier that the boys (KidsHealth, 2016). On the other hand, the boy becomes more masculine, and their chest will broaden. The testicles will grow bibber and the scrotum starts becomes thin and reddens. However, in both boys and girls, pubic and underarm hairs will start to grow (KidsHealth, 2016).
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It is believed that in girls, these changes will start when they are 11 years old while in boys it will commence when they are between 9 and 14 years old (KidsHealth, 2016). Nonetheless, cases of early and late puberty have also been spotted in recent days especially among the women. Studies have elucidated that, girls who tend to gain more weight during their early stages of growth are likely to experience early puberty. On the contrary, those who appear to be underweight stand a chance of being victims of late puberty (ASRM, 2014). Research has also established that African-American girls usually start showing signs of puberty at the age of six. Therefore, instances, where puberty signs appear prior to that age among that category of individuals, ought to be reported to a health provider. In addition, girls who show no sign of puberty past the age of 14 ought to seek medical attention. Notably, delayed and early signs of puberty seem to be family related. However, such abnormalities can be associated with the genetic makeup of individuals, hormones, body conformation, body weight or even the side effects of the certain medicine that the subject was exposed to at some point in life.
Apparently, the hormonal and neurophysiological changes that take place during puberty appear to have a role to play in arousing the sexual desires among the adolescents (Frontenberry, 2013). Importantly, a change in the levels of testosterone hormone has been found to be the main factor that influences the initiation and frequency of sexual desire among boys and girls during their adolescent stages. Studies grouping adolescents based on their pubertal stage established that boys who mature early indulged in early dating and sexual activities as compared to those who mature late (Frontenberry, 2013). The same trend was observed when a comparison was made between women who mature early and those who mature late in relation to sexual activity. Such phenomenon has resulted in increased instances where most teens engage in sex before marriage.
It is estimated that about 40% of women often have sex prior to them getting married (Cohen, 2012). In earlier days, most societies viewed sex before marriage as a disobedience. Furthermore, it attracted more risks such as forced marriages and unwanted fatherhood. In addition, the woman might opt to engage in life-threatening acts such as abortion in an attempt to get rid of the pregnancy. If the girl gets a chance to deliver, the birth certificate of the child would be stamped “illegitimate” (Cohen, 2012). Her family, on the other hand, might even force her to let the child be adopted. However, the initiation of birth control pills acted as a “blessing in disguise” to most women. It provided them with the “emergency wings” to fly them away from the double standards that the society used to wish they complied (Cohen, 2012). In that respect, most teens have fully embraced the use of birth control methods to shun early pregnancies (Cohen, 2012). They perceive that it provides them with a chance to have a say in establishing the partners they want to spend their lives with. In addition, girls believe that the contraceptives give them a chance to pursue their dreams without fear and prejudice.
In conclusion, the lives of adolescents are full of significant changes, which take place during the development process. It would be imperative for them to understand such changes and devise mechanisms of dealing with them ethically. As aforementioned, the process of development may be accompanied by the yearning to have sex. Nevertheless, teens need to try to overcome such challenges and forge their way forward. If it becomes difficult for them to deal with the sexual zeal, they can opt for contraceptives so that they can be protected from unwanted pregnancies.
References
Cohen, N.L. (2012). How Sexual Revolution Changed America Forever: With a Little Pharmaceutical Ingenuity, the Double Standard relaxed its Clawing grip on Female Humanity. Retrieved from http://www.alternet.org/story/153969/how_the_sexual_revolution_changed_america_forever.
Fortenberry, J. D. (2013). Puberty and Adolescent Sexuality. Hormones and Behavior , 64 (2), 280–287. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.03.007.
KidsHealth. (2016). Boys and Puberty. Retrieved from: http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/boys-puberty.html
