Oestrogens in puberty

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