What is the term for the stage in human development when secondary sex characteristics are developed?

The stage in human development when secondary sex characteristics develop is known as puberty. During puberty, individuals experience a range of physical changes driven by hormonal activity. These changes include the development of breasts and wider hips in females, as well as increased muscle mass and facial hair in males.

Puberty is a critical phase in both males and females, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood, and it typically occurs between the ages of 9 and 14 for girls and 10 to 15 for boys. This process involves not only physical development but also emotional and social changes, setting the foundation for reproductive capability.

Other stages like gestation, which refers to the period of fetal development during pregnancy, and menstruation, which is part of the female reproductive cycle, focus on different aspects of human biology and are not directly related to the development of secondary sex characteristics. Adolescence refers to the broader developmental period that includes both puberty and the subsequent psychological and social maturation, but puberty specifically identifies the time when the physical traits associated with sexual maturity begin to appear.