Assigned Female Puberty

Puberty for Female Assigned People

Most changes during puberty happen to everyone, but some are unique to each depending on your body and hormones. This page deals with how estrogen affects your body during puberty. Some things to keep in mind:

• People born with ovaries naturally produce estrogen.
• People born with ovaries/uteruses are often assigned female at birth (AFAB).

Read below for information on what AFAB folks could expect during puberty and check out our info page here: Puberty for Female Assigned People

Hormonal Changes

• Hormones are chemicals that carry messages throughout the body.
• When puberty starts in AFAB folks, sex glands called ovaries begin to make more of a hormone called estrogen.
• Estrogen plays a part in many of the physical and emotional changes you may experience during puberty.

Periods

• During puberty you will start to menstruate (or “get your period”) on a regular basis.
• Most AFAB folks will get their first period when they are around 12 or 13 years old, but some will get it sooner and some later.
• The average length between periods is about 28 days, however you may have your period more frequently or less frequently than this. Most menstruating folks have a menstrual cycle length somewhere between 21 – 35 days.
• About once every 28 days the lining of your uterus (called the endometrium) builds up, getting ready to support a developing pregnancy. If you don’t get pregnant, this lining isn’t needed, and your body will shed it through your vagina.
• What comes out might seem like blood, but it’s mostly just the lining being shed from your uterus.  It may be red, reddish brown or even dark brown.
• A lot about periods vary from person to person, yours might start later, it may be more regular than others, more or less uncomfortable than others, your “flow” might be heavier than your friends, and which period products you prefer might be different than others too (like pads or tampons), and that’s okay!
• Learn more about how periods work here: Periods and check this link out for info on different products you might want to use: Period Products

Vaginas

• Once you start puberty you may notice clear, white, or even yellowish fluid appear in your underwear. This fluid is called mucus or discharge. It is how your vagina* cleans itself.
• You might also start to experience wet dreams, sexually charged dreams which may cause your vagina to discharge lubricating fluid.
• Because vaginas are self-cleaning, most health care professionals don’t recommend douching (washing or cleaning out the vagina with water or other fluids); douching can change the delicate balance of vaginal flora (organisms that live in the vagina) and acidity in a healthy vagina.
• Pubic hair is another part of puberty. Most people will start to grow hair around their genitals during this time. How much hair you have might be totally different from someone else, and how you choose to maintain it (shaving, trimming, or letting it grow) is totally up to you!
• There’s lots more to know about vaginas, uteruses, and vulvas so check out these info pages: Vaginas and Uteruses, Vulvas

Breasts

• Your breasts* (sometimes called boobs or other names), will start out as small buds below your nipples on your chest. When you are around 8 or 9 years old, they will start growing.
• Breasts come in all shapes, sizes, colours.  They can grow slowly or it may seem like they sprout overnight!
• Your breasts may continue to grow into your early twenties.
• Check out our info page to learn more: Breasts

*We know that these aren’t the words everyone uses for their bodies (eg. trans folks), and support you using the language that feels best for you.