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What role do hormones play in human reproduction? - OCR 21st CenturyThe role of reproductive hormones in puberty

Hormones are vital to enable sexual reproduction in humans. There are a range of hormones that interact to cause puberty in males and females and prepare a women鈥檚 reproductive system for pregnancy.

Part of Combined ScienceThe human body - Staying alive

The role of reproductive hormones in puberty

Puberty

is the stage in life when a child's body develops into an adult's body. The changes take place gradually, usually between the ages of 10 and 16, but sometimes before or after this age.

A is a chemical substance, produced by a and carried by the blood, which alters the activity of specific target organs (and is then destroyed by the liver). Changes occur at puberty because of :

  • testosterone 鈥 a hormone produced by the testes which controls the development of male , for example, facial hair
  • 鈥 a hormone produced by the ovaries which controls the development of female secondary sexual characteristics, for example breast development

Secondary sexual characteristics appear during puberty and are not present at birth.

Changes during puberty

Boys onlyBoys and girlsGirls only
Voice breaksPubic hair growsVoice deepens gradually
Hair grows on face and bodyUnderarm hair growsHips get wider
Body becomes more muscularSexual organs grow and developBreasts develop
Testes start to produce sperm cellsOvaries start to release egg cells - menstruation starts
Boys onlyVoice breaks
Boys and girlsPubic hair grows
Girls onlyVoice deepens gradually
Boys onlyHair grows on face and body
Boys and girlsUnderarm hair grows
Girls onlyHips get wider
Boys onlyBody becomes more muscular
Boys and girlsSexual organs grow and develop
Girls onlyBreasts develop
Boys onlyTestes start to produce sperm cells
Boys and girls
Girls onlyOvaries start to release egg cells - menstruation starts
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Reproductive hormones in the menstrual cycle

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