Every young girl and boy experience puberty: a process of physical changes through which a child’s body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction.
Girls will usually start puberty between the ages of 10-16 and begin to see changes in their: skin texture, height, weight and hair growth. Soon after, a girl will get her first period: also known as menstrual bleeding, is the process where the uterus lining sheds blood and tissue through the vagina. Menstrual bleeding will occur every 28-day cycles and last for 3-5 days.
Ovulation: refers to the release of an egg from the ovary. After the release, the egg travels down the fallopian tube, where it may be met by a sperm and become fertilized.
There are approximately six days during a female’s cycle that she can become pregnant, five days leading up to ovulation, and the 24 hours after ovulation. This is because sperm can live for up to 5-7 days in a woman’s body. Sexual intercourse can result in pregnancy.
MCN Foundation is developing a set of booklets and other educational materials to explain such matters and their relevant hygiene needs in a culturally sensitive and easy to understand format.
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