Sexual Facts

The sexual development of girls and boys depends on the sex hormones.
Sex hormones control the development of primary and secondary sexual characteristics, and regulate all sex-related processes such as sperm and egg production.
Primary sexual characteristics are the major sexual organs, in particular the genitals.
Secondary sexual characteristics are other differences between the sexes, such as men’s beards.
There are three main types of sex hormone –androgens, estrogen and progesterone.
Androgens are male hormones such as testosterone. They make a boy’s body develop features such as a beard, deepen his voice and make his penis grow.
Estrogen is the female hormone made mainly in the ovaries. It not only makes a girl develop her sexual organs, but controls her monthly menstrual cycle.
Progesterone is the female hormone that prepares a girl’s uterus (womb) for pregnancy every month.
Some contraceptive pills have estrogen in them to prevent the ovaries releasing their egg cells.
Boys have female sex hormones and girls have male sex hormones, but they usually have no effect.

This entry is filed under Interesting Facts.