 Development of Secondary Sex

Characteristics and the Human

Reproductive System
Soon after fertilization of an egg, the development of the
reproductive system begins. For example, approximately
one month after conception, primordial gonads also
begin to develop.
• Development of the Sexual
Organs in the Embryo and Fetus

The female sex is considered the “fundamental” sex

because if a particular chemical prompting is absent, all
fertilized eggs will develop into females. For a fertilized
egg to become a male, a cascade of chemical reactions
must be present initiated by a single gene in the male Y
chromosome called thee SRY (Sex-determining Region
of the Y chromosome). Females do not have any Y
chromosomes; hence, they do not have the SRY gene
(Lumen Learning Courses, WEB).
 Further Sexual Development
Occurs at Puberty
Puberty is the stage of development at which
individuals become sexually mature. The outcome of
puberty is different for boys and girls, but the hormonal
process is similar. Moreover, though the timing of
these changes varies for every individual, the
sequence of changes for boys and girls is predictable,
resulting in adult physical characteristics and the
capacity to reproduce.
Puberty can be separated into five
stages. The characteristics for
each stage vary for girls and
boys.
STAGES PUBERTY STAGES IN GIRLS
Approximately between the
1 ages of 8 and 11:
The ovaries enlarge and
hormone production starts,
but external development is
not yet visible.
PUBERTY STAGES IN BOYS
Approximately between ages
9 and 12:
No visible signs of
development occur; but
internally, male hormones
become a lot more active.
Sometimes a growth spurt
begins at this time.
 What are the erogenous zones of the
body?

The term erogenous zones was popularized in the

1960s and 1970s to describe areas of the body that are
highly sensitive to stimuli and are often (but not always)
sexually exciting. In this context, “highly sensitive”
means these areas of the body have a high number of
sensory receptors or nerve endings that react to stimuli.
The skin

The skin serves as the primary erotic stimulus. Two types

of erogenous zones exist in the skin (Winkelmann, 2004):

1. Nonspecific type
a. It is similar to any other portion of the usual haired
skin.
b. The nerves supplying it are composed of the usual
density of dermal-nerve networks and hair-follicle
networks.
c. The learned and anticipated pleasurable sensation
felt from these regions produce the amplified
sensation.
d. The pleasurable sensation felt from these regions is simply an exaggerated form of tickle.
e. Examples of this type of skin are the sides and back of the neck, the axilla (armpit,
2. Specific type

a. It is found in the mucocutaneous regions regions