13 year old no period or pubic hair

[Stoksey2]

I am getting quite worried for my daughter as she’s now 13 and has no signs that her periods are going to start. Whilst I know everyone is different, there is no history of late puberty in my or my husbands family. Whilst my daughter started developing breasts at about 9-10 years of age, she has absolutely no Pubic or arm pit hair. In particular the lack of pubic hair really concerns me. Having watched call the midwife last night the thought of intersex has now come to mind. She’s still only 13 but should I book a gp appointment to discuss. I obviously don’t want to worry her.

Later puberty in girls is puberty after the age of 14 so i wouldn't rush to the gp just yet

I didn't get mine until 14. Even then it cane on incredibly suddenly. Absolutely no warning at all.

Don't worry, she's normal :)

I'm sure my niece never started hers until she was nearly 16

DDs best friend got her first period at 16. She was pretty flat chested too until steins then - no idea if she had pubic hair though.

I had neither at 13.

Im not a very typical lady with 4 children. So I'll affects from it at all

My Dd developed breast buds at age 9 but didn't start her periods until 15.
I wouldn't worry yet, everyone's different.

I had neither at 13. Periods came just before I was 15. Completely flat chested to end of year 11, went back to 6th form 8 weeks later with huuuuge boobs!

I got mine at 13. Boobs didn't come until a couple of years later.

My understanding is that it's generally seen as better to wait and see unless there are no signs at 16.

Also, intersex conditions usually have other symptoms due to the hormone issues setting everything off - cardiovascular problems, skeletal or significant joint issues, and so on. Puberty developments tend to be either really early or very late/non-existent. There is a really small possibility, but nothing in what you've wrote suggests a DSD to me or one that would need care at this moment.

I don't know how fast earlier puberty started. I'm 27 so reasonably young and only started mine at 14 and a quarter (to be precise!).

I think I got boobettes around 12 but nothing else happened until I was 14 and I didn’t get my first period until I was nearly 15. Everybody experiences puberty differently. I wouldn’t worry quite yet.

It’s completely within normal limits. My dd is 15 and has only just had a growth spurt and grown a couple of straggly armpit hairs. No breast buds or other signs of development.

She is very very fit though with low body fat, which i believe can slow things down.

General medical advice is if they have no signs of puberty by 16 then further investigations a needed.

Thank you for this thread. My daughter is similar, thirteen (and a half) little signs of puberty, no periods. Not really worried, just hope she isn't worried or feeling sort of left out as I expect most of her friends will have started. She has a little sister and I really hope her little sister doesn't start first.

My middle child has only just started (last few months) and she is almost 14. She is a competitive athlete though and training does delay puberty

Not really worried, just hope she isn't worried or feeling sort of left out as I expect most of her friends will have started. She has a little sister and I really hope her little sister doesn't start first

Why would it be such a problem if her sister was first?

Fwiw i was a late starter, around 15. I certainly did not feel left out, just grateful i had a few more years less of all that. I could not have cared less if anyone started before me.

The way I saw it, the later the better. I couldn’t understand why anyone would be in a rush or feel envious. Just seemed like a big hassle i could do without for as long as possible :).

13 is still young! I’d wait a couple more years

DD2 just started the day before she turned 16 - she did have otherwise normal physical development though. My Dsis and I were both late starters, I was well past 15, my Dsis well past 16. I'd wait a bit longer to see if other signs of puberty develop and not worry too much about the periods.

I made it to 18 before I started my periods, I had small breast buds at around 14. I've never really developed boobs to be honest.

My mum took me to the doctor and they took some blood tests, sent me for a scan and came
to the conclusion that I was just a late starter. I was very small and skinny though. Started completely without warning in the middle of all these investigations and now at the grand old age of 35 I have two DC, regular periods and am a normal, healthy woman.

I would t worry too much and I'd enjoy the time without them!

I remember watching/reading something saying likely to start when they weigh about 7 stone

My daughter waa 15 before any hair and was 16 before her first period. She was super skinny tho

I was 15 before any growth of anything, 16 for my periods. I think I would have been upset if my mum took me to the doctors because of it!

If she is slim or small then that could be why. I was a bit late, 15, and was told you needed to weigh over 7stone before you started as another poster suggested.

I was an A cup until about age 17 and a B until 22. I'm now a G cup!!!! Regret all that time I spent wishing for bigger boobd! Still don't have much armpit hair though. Plenty elsewhere.

Just relax, she'll catch up, she isn't really very late yet.

It's not actual weight that determines when you start, it's body fat percentage

Unfortunately this is a subject that is often trolled about on MN.

Thank you every one for your replies. I wasn’t overly concerned initially until my mum worried me by introducing Ais androgen insensitivity syndrome to me. I expect I am being paranoid although the lack of pubic hair still bothers me as it seems unusual for there to be breast development only. She’s quite tall & of average weight so quite normal in all other ways. Willdefo leave things for now as I don’t want to pass my paranoia onto her. Thanks again it’s useful for express my concerns x