Spermarche

The first ejaculatory experience of boys is termed spermarche.^[1] It contrasts with menarche in girls.^[2][3] Depending on their upbringing, cultural differences, and prior sexual knowledge, boys may have different reactions to spermarche, ranging from fear to excitement.^[1] Spermarche is one of the first events in the life of a male leading to sexual maturity. It occurs at the time when the secondary sexual characteristics are just beginning to develop.^[4] The age when spermarche occurs is not easy to determine. However, researchers have tried to determine the age in various populations by taking urine samples of boys and determining the presence of spermatozoa. This process of determining the sperm content in urine is referred to as spermaturia^[3]. From various sources it appears that spermarche occurs between the ages of 11–15 years^[4].

References

1. ^ ^{a b} The male experience of pubertal change, Alan Gaddis and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Journal of Youth & Adolescence 14 (#1, February 1985), pp. 61–69.
2. ^ Adolescence, E. Atwater, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 3rd edition, 1992.
3. ^ ^{a b} The onset of sperm production in pubertal boys. Relationship to gonadotropin excretion, H. E. Kulin, M. A. Frontera, L. M. Demers, M. J. Bartholomew, and T. A. Lloyd, American Journal of Diseases of Children 143 (1989), pp. 190–193.
4. ^ ^{a b} Onset of the release of spermatozoa (spermarche) in boys in relation to age, testicular growth, pubic hair, and height, C. T. Nielsen et al., Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 62 (#3, March 1986), pp. 532–535.

See also

• Menarche
• Adrenarche