Sexual development
Sexual development, the process of forming the sexual characteristics of a person that determine his gender. Inseparably linked with the physical, mental, spiritual and other aspects of individual development. The main primary signs of sex are the gonads (testicles and ovaries), the conducting paths (vas deferens - vas deferens) and the oviducts (fallopian tubes)), the uterus and copulatory organs (the penis in men, the vagina, clitoris, labia in women). All other signs by which one sex differs from the other (peculiarities of body proportions, the degree of development of the mammary glands, the nature of hair growth, the timbre of the voice, etc.) are secondary sexual characteristics. Human sexual development is carried out in two closely related directions - psychosexual and somatosexual. The psychosexual development of men and women has some features due to sexual differences and the polarization of male and female roles.
Awareness of one's own gender fully develops by 3-6 years, in the process of the child becoming aware of himself as a person. In children 2-4 years old, the so-called sexual curiosity appears, which leads to the desire to examine and feel their genitals. The signs of gender at this age are only the peculiarities of the structure of the external genitalia. In adolescence, sexual curiosity already appears in connection with the understanding of the reproductive function of men and women, which implies special, specific relationships between individuals of both sexes. The ability to realize oneself as a carrier of a certain gender underlies the formation of sexual behavior of a teenager or young man, the normal direction of sexual desire (libido), which, as a rule, is developed more strongly in boys than in girls. The expressiveness of sexual desire in representatives of the male and female sexes is the same, but its manifestation is specific. For example, in a girl, characteristic behavioral reactions associated with sexual desire are coquetry, which is based on the urge to attract attention, shyness, a pronounced need to be liked, to look good. A young man usually experiences a desire to be liked by a specific woman, and not in general, and has a specific goal at the same time. The highest and specific form of sexual desire is love, in which both the general level of human development and his moral potential, as well as his spiritual maturity, are clearly manifested. At the beginning of puberty, adolescents form a kind of relationship that can be defined as platonic love, colored by a romantically elevated feeling. Only later, with the completion of the process of puberty, specific sexual emotions awaken, sexual activity manifests itself and a mature sexual consciousness is formed.
There are several periods in psychosexual development: prenatal, in which morphological and physiological differentiation of the gonads, genitals and brain structures occurs; parapubertal (1-7 years), when the child becomes aware of his gender, he develops a curiosity directed towards sexual characteristics, genitals (sexual self-awareness is formed); prepubertal (7-13 years), which is characterized by the development of stateroles, the assimilation of the principles of communication between people of different sexes, the formation of a stereotype of staterole behavior; pubertal (12-18 years) when platonic dreams and fantasies, courtship, platonic communication, characteristic of the initial stage of this period, gradually develop into erotic fantasies, erotic caresses and games (formation of erotic libido); the transitional period of sexuality (16 - 26 years), which is characterized by sexual fantasies, masturbation, the beginning of sexual life, sexual excesses, etc. (formation of sexual libido); the period of mature sexuality (26 - 55 years), which is characterized by regular sexual life, entering the zone of conditional physiological rhythm; involutional (51 - 70 years), in which there is a decrease in sexual activity, regression of libido to the level of erotic and platonic. At each of these stages, the influence of adverse factors is possible, which can lead to various disorders: sexual retardation and premature psychosexual development, deviations in the formation of sexual self-awareness, stereotyped state-role behavior, psychosexual orientation.
Somatosexual development normally also has a certain sequence of age-related changes in the genitals and secondary sexual characteristics. In the somatosexual development of a man, depending on the functions of the body, 6 periods are usually distinguished: intrauterine development, childhood, puberty, sexual maturity, sexual withering and old age. The intrauterine period is associated with the formation of the genitals, with the laying and development in the abdominal cavity of the gonads - testicles, which begin to function (i.e. produce mature sperm) only during puberty. During childhood (from birth to 10 - 12 years), the production of male sex hormones (androgens) begins to increase, which plays a certain role in preparing the boy's body for the next phase of sexual development. The genitals are fully formed, but not sufficiently developed.
The period of puberty, or puberty (from 10 - 12 to 16 - 17 years), is characterized by the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics and the final formation of the genital organs and gonads. At this time, a deep restructuring of the whole organism occurs: the growth of the penis and testicles increases, the shape of the larynx changes, the voice becomes more coarse, low. There is more intensive growth of the body, the muscles of the trunk increase, hair appears on the pubis and in the armpits, a mustache and beard begin to break through. During this period, the young man often experiences sexual arousal, and at night there is spontaneous ejaculation of semen (pollution). The seminal ducts in immature boys are filled with spermatogonia (the earliest stage of sperm development). The beginning of the functioning of the gonads, capable of producing mature sperm, indicates the onset of puberty. However, the young man's body is not yet formed either physically or mentally, he is in the growth stage. Only by 23 - 25 years does the maturation of a man end, and by the same age the number of seeds also increases. The beginning and duration of the puberty period are subject to significant fluctuations, often associated with the phenomenon of acceleration - accelerated development and maturation of children. During this period, the whole body develops intensively, internal organs work with increased load, the activity of the nervous system is rebuilt, and the psyche changes.
During the period of sexual maturity, which lasts up to 50 years, a man's sexual activity is most active, but after 40 years it begins to gradually weaken. Relationships are established between spouses, based mainly on a sense of duty, common experiences, interests, mutual respect, etc. A characteristic sign of the onset of the withering period is the appearance of certain difficulties in performing sexual intercourse (coitus), the need to spend more effort. As a rule, a man's sexual feeling noticeably weakens after 50 years. The need for sexual intercourse arises less often. A man's semen contains fewer sperm.
With the onset of old age, sexual arousal ceases, an erection no longer reaches the strength necessary for sexual intercourse. There may be certain deviations in the natural process of development and fading of male sexual activity. Sexual development may begin earlier or later, the activity of the active period may be longer or shorter, old age may occur at different times. These features depend on the state of health, the nature of nutrition, social and household conditions, climate, etc.
In the sexual development of the female organism, as well as the male one, 6 periods are distinguished. During the period of intrauterine development in a girl, the laying and development of the reproductive system (external and internal genital organs) occurs along with all organs. By the 8th week of intrauterine development, oogonia are formed in the embryonic rudiments of the ovaries - future eggs, which then undergo successive stages of changes and turn into primary follicles (vesicles containing eggs). By the time a girl is born, the number of follicles reaches 400 - 500 thousand, during the childbearing period of a woman they periodically mature. During childhood (from birth to 10 - 12 years), the body adapts to the conditions of the external environment, all organs and systems develop and improve, the physiological function of the ovaries is absent. The external and internal genital organs are formed, but not yet fully developed, grow slowly and almost do not change until the onset of puberty. There is no hair on the external genital organs, the entrance to the vagina is lined with a very delicate, easily damaged epithelium.
Puberty begins at about 10-12 years of age and ends by 18-20 years of age. It begins with the growth of the mammary glands, which are initially only palpable, then the areola begins to protrude. Gradually, the mammary glands enlarge, fatty tissue is deposited in them and they take the form of a mature mammary gland. At this time, pubic hair begins to grow, then armpits, and hair growth on the head increases. Sweat glands, especially armpits, begin to secrete sweat with a specific female odor. The secretion of the sebaceous glands of the face increases, as a result of which acne sometimes forms in the second half of the maturation period, which after a few years pass on their own, without treatment. Most girls begin menstruation at the age of 12-13 years - the main indicator of puberty, indicating the body's ability to become pregnant. However, sexual maturity should be associated not only with the onset of menstruation, the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the ability to conceive, but also with the ability to bear, give birth to, feed and raise a healthy child without harm to his health and the health of the woman herself.
The period of sexual maturity lasts from 15 to 49 years, but there may be more or less pronounced fluctuations. It is believed that only by 18 - 20 years does a woman's body reach its full bloom. By this period, her general development and the state of the reproductive system (menstrual, secretory and other features of the reproductive apparatus) are fully prepared to perform the reproductive function. This is the time of the female body's flowering - a woman can become pregnant, give birth and feed a child. But often it is during this period that a woman develops various diseases of the genital organs, for the prevention of which strict adherence to hygiene measures is of great importance, especially during menstruation.
The period of sexual atrophy begins at 47 - 49 years and lasts about 2 - 3 years. At this time, the function of the ovaries gradually fades. Menstruation becomes irregular, can be abundant and long, then stops altogether. During this period, unbalanced and prone to various diseases, women often experience general disorders (dizziness, flushing, feeling hot, fatigue, insomnia, irritability). After the cessation of menstruation, complaints of general disorders usually disappear. With the onset of old age, the activity of the genitals completely fades and the intensity of all vital functions gradually decreases.