This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages without signing in

Oestrogens in puberty

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Oestrogen first appears in the blood at puberty and causes the development of the female secondary sexual characteristics as follows:

  • breast:
    • development
    • enlargement and pigmentation of the areolae, although most pigmentation is associated with the oestrogen of pregnancy
  • female hair distribution; androgens probably have a more significant role:
    • pubic region with the upper margin concave upwards
    • axillae
    • absent from the face
  • genitourinary tract; enlargement of:
    • uterus
    • vagina
    • labia majora
    • labia minora
  • female distribution of fat:
    • around hips
    • within breasts
    • contributes to characteristic body shape
  • psychological changes of womanhood are associated with oestrogen exposure

In addition, oestrogens in conjuction with growth hormone increase the female growth rate at puberty:

  • epiphyseal skeletal growth is stimulated
  • the pelvis is stimulated to widen

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.