Stages of Female and Male Sexual Development
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STAGE
|
FEMALE DEVELOPMENT
|
MALE DEVELOPMENT
|
AGE RANGE
|
|
1
|
- No breast budding
- No pubic hair growth
|
- Prepubertal, small penis and testes
- No pubic hair growth
|
<10 years
|
|
2
|
- Small breast buds
- Fine, delicate, fuzzy pubic hair
growth
|
- Testes grow
- Scrotal skin becomes
redder and coarser
- Sparse, fine hair develops at the
base of the penis
|
10–13
|
|
3
|
- Enlarging breast buds
- Increased pubic hair, mainly in
the center and not extending out to thighs or upward; dark and
coarser
|
- Penis lengthens, with small increase
in diameter
- Scrotum and testes continue to grow
- Pubic hair increases in amount and
becomes darker, coarser, and curly
|
12–14
|
|
4
|
- Noticeable growth of pubic hair
in a triangle, the shape it will take in adulthood
- Underarm (axillary) hair growth
visible
- Breasts form mounds
- Menarche
|
- Penis and testes
continue to grow
- Pubic hair increases in amount and
becomes darker, coarser, and curly
|
13–15
|
|
5
|
- Breasts fully formed
- Pubic hair is adult in quantity
and forms an upside-down triangle, a shape common to women
|
- Penis is at its full adult size
- Pubic hair is at its adult color,
texture, and distribution
|
14–17
|
Adapted from: Swanson, J. M., and
Forrest, K. A., 1984, Tanner Stages of Male and Female Reproductive
Development in Men’s Reproductive Health, Springer Series: Focus
on Men, vol. 3, Springer Publishing Co., pp. 55–57; and Gennex Health
Care Technologies, 1999, “Puberty and Its Stages,” A Forum for
Women’s Health, The Estronaut Site.
© 2007 EngenderHealth
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