Delayed Puberty

What is Delayed puberty?

Delayed puberty means that an individual, male or female, does not show any of the physical or hormonal signs of puberty by the age at which they would be expected to do so, according to their age and sex.

Puberty happens within a range of ages, according to the sex of an individual.

Generally, this means that a male will be considered to have delayed puberty if he shows none of the signs of it by the age of 14. By some definitions, this would mean no enlargement of the testicles by this age.

For a female, the lack of breast growth by the age of 13, or no start of their menstrual cycle by the age of 16, would be considered delayed puberty.

Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.

The reproductive system is made up of the organs of the body necessary for the reproductive process.

  • In a female these organs include the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
  • In a male these organs include the penis, testes, spermatic ducts, sex glands and the scrotum.

Symptoms affecting the reproductive system are generally congenital, present at birth, but may develop later.

Symptoms relating to the organs of the reproductive system may affect their structure and function including their ability to reproduce, other times they may simply affect the shape or appearance of the organ, without any impact on fertility.

What should I do next?

In some instances, delayed puberty may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Delayed Puberty, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist.  Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis.  FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.

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Synonyms:
Delayed puberty, Pubertal delay, Delayed pubertal growth, Delayed pubertal development
Related syndromes:

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