Spermarche, also known as semenarche, is the time at which a male experiences his first ejaculation. It is considered to be the counterpart of

menarche Menarche ( ; ) is the first menstrual cycle, or first menstruation, menstrual bleeding, in female humans. From both social and medical perspectives, it is often considered the central event of female puberty, as it signals the possibility of fe ...

in females. Depending on upbringing, cultural differences, and prior sexual knowledge, males may have different reactions to spermarche, ranging from fear to excitement.''Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach'', Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 3rd edition, 2006. Spermarche is one of the first events in the life of a male leading to

sexual maturity Sexual maturity is the capability of an organism to reproduce. In humans, it is related to both puberty and adulthood. ''Puberty'' is the biological process of sexual maturation, while ''adulthood'', the condition of being socially recognized ...

. It occurs at the time when the

secondary sex characteristic A secondary sex characteristic is a physical characteristic of an organism that is related to or derived from its sex, but not directly part of its reproductive system. In humans, these characteristics typically start to appear during pubert ...

s are just beginning to develop. Researchers have had difficulty determining the onset of spermarche because it is reliant on self-reporting. Other methods to determine it have included the examination of

urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and many other animals. In placental mammals, urine flows from the Kidney (vertebrates), kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder and exits the urethra through the penile meatus (mal ...

samples to determine the presence of

spermatozoa A spermatozoon (; also spelled spermatozoön; : spermatozoa; ) is a motile sperm cell (biology), cell produced by male animals relying on internal fertilization. A spermatozoon is a moving form of the ploidy, haploid cell (biology), cell that is ...

. The presence of sperm in urine is referred to as spermaturia.

Age of occurrence

Research on the subject has varied for the reasons stated above, as well as changes in the average age of pubescence, which has been decreasing at an average rate of three months a decade. Research from 2010 indicated that the average age for spermarche in the U.S. was 12–16. In 2015, researchers in China determined that the average age for spermarche in China was 14. Historical data from countries including Nigeria and the United States also suggest 14 as an average age. Cites

As a function of precocious puberty

Puberty onset before the age of 9 in males is considered medically abnormal, and is defined as precocious puberty; research on both organic and ideopathic precocious puberty in males has described puberty onset as early as nine months old. As semenarche has a wide range of onset within puberty (with some research indicating spermatogenesis in some cases in early pubertal development) it is difficult to determine a minimum age for spermarche should one exist. Research on the subject, though lacking has described ejaculation in males as young as six years old.

Context

Various studies have examined the circumstances in which the first

ejaculation Ejaculation is the discharge of semen (the ''ejaculate''; normally containing sperm) from the penis through the urethra. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. ...

occurred. Most commonly this occurred via a

nocturnal emission A wet dream, sex dream, or sleep orgasm, is a spontaneous occurrence of sexual arousal during sleep that includes ejaculation (nocturnal emission) and orgasm for a male, and vaginal lubrication and/or orgasm for a female. Context Nocturnal e ...

, with a significant number experiencing semenarche via

masturbation Masturbation is a form of autoeroticism in which a person Sexual stimulation, sexually stimulates their own Sex organ, genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. Stimulation may involve the use of han ...

, which is very common at that stage. Less commonly, the first ejaculation occurred during

sexual intercourse Sexual intercourse (also coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion of the Erection, erect male Human penis, penis inside the female vagina and followed by Pelvic thrust, thrusting motions for sexual pleasure ...

with a partner.

References

{{Reproductive physiology Developmental biology Developmental stages Human male reproductive system Puberty Sexual health Sexuality and age Men's health

Age of occurrence

As a function of precocious puberty

Context

See also

References