Do you know the changes in women’s breasts during puberty, pregnancy, lactation and menopause? Changes in the breasts during puberty Puberty is the period of maturation of the male and female sexual organs. Puberty in girls generally begins between the ages of 13 and 15, but may be earlier or later, depending on the state of nutrition and the structure of the diet. A girl’s sexual development begins with the development of the mammary glands, and the onset of menstruation usually occurs 2 to 3 years later. The onset of menstruation is a sign that a woman’s sexual organs and mammary glands have entered a mature stage of development. However, after the onset of menstruation, most girls’ mammary glands continue to develop for 1 to 2 years until they develop into the shape of mature adult breasts. The female breast generally takes 4 to 6 years to develop from the beginning of development to maturity. During puberty, under the combined action of hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, prolactin and androgens secreted by the adrenal cortex, the mammary glands begin to grow, the breasts bulge and increase in size, the nipples and areolas increase in size and color, and gradually, the breasts form a disk shape and continue to increase in size to a hemisphere. During this development process, some girls’ breasts may feel swollen, and some may even feel pain or tenderness, which is a normal phenomenon. In addition, because the sensitivity of breast tissue to hormones is uneven during this period, the development of glands in different parts of the breast may also be uneven, and some small local nodules may appear, which will disappear naturally with further development of the breast. Changes in the breasts during pregnancy and breastfeeding The normal female body undergoes significant changes during pregnancy. From the moment the fertilized egg is laid, along with the hormonal changes in the body, the breasts respond accordingly, in order to adapt to the need to breastfeed after delivery. At the same time, the degree of breast development during pregnancy is an important factor in determining the amount of milk produced. Throughout pregnancy, the breasts continue to grow, in some cases tripling in size. However, as time passes, the painful sensation will gradually subside. It is important to note that if you notice acute redness, swelling and pain in the breast, bloody nipple discharge, cracked nipples and skin ulcers, then you should not wait to see a doctor immediately. Although acute mastitis or even breast cancer in pregnancy is relatively rare, it should not be taken lightly. The first thing you need to do is to choose a bra, the size of which should be able to hold your breasts intact, not to wear half of them and strangle them; you can’t wear a bra with a steel bra, because the breast ducts are growing especially fast during pregnancy. The bra with steel bra will strangle on the breast, so that the breast ducts fold, resulting in breast road is not accessible, breast swelling. The second is that the breast growth is particularly strong, a lot of fatty tissue growth, rather than the real breast cells in the growth, this breast after delivery is difficult to have a particularly adequate milk, because the secretion of milk is determined by the breast cells, not by the fat outside the breast cells, it requires the mother-to-be in the diet, pay attention to the appropriate increase in protein intake, and do not eat too much fat content, high sugar After eating more things, the body will naturally convert into fat, but it is difficult to convert into protein. The third is the full 6 months of pregnancy, pregnant women should focus on breast massage to help the mother unblock the milk road, unblock the ducts of the breast, so that the channel of milk excretion is smooth. The method of massage is not difficult. Pregnant women wash their hands with soap and scrub the outside of the nipple in a circular motion to the base of the breast (at the clavicle) washing the left and right breast respectively. Avoid washing the nipples with soap to avoid washing away the protective outer layer of oil, and pay attention to cleaning the scabs. After cleaning, you can hold the breast with your hand and massage from the base of the breast under the collarbone with your middle and index fingers towards the nipple, and knead the nipple with your thumb and index finger to increase the nipple toughness. For flat or sunken nipples, gently push the nipple outward in the manner of a stamped fingerprint, making a complete circle of the nipple in the clockwise direction; or pinch the nipple with one thumb and index finger and gently turn and pull it outward while the other hand holds the areola open; you can also wear nipple shields to make the sunken nipple stand out. Changes in the breast during menopause Due to the reduction of estrogen in the body, ovarian function began to degenerate, the glandular body into a calm old age, their breasts will also change, the volume becomes smaller, flabby sagging, skin creases increase, etc., at this time the breast basically completed its life’s task, and withdrew from the “stage of history”. At this time, do they still need special attention? The answer is yes. In fact, it is because you have entered menopause that you should pay more attention to breast health. You should insist on monthly breast self-examinations and annual medical checkups with a specialist to keep an eye on small changes in your breasts and to detect and treat problems immediately. The high incidence of breast cancer is after the age of 45, therefore, menopausal women should be more aware of breast health and cancer prevention and have a heavier task. In addition, it should be reminded that menopausal women should be cautious in taking hormone replacement agents, and if they do, they must be monitored under the guidance of a doctor.