Spermarche, also known as semenarche, is the time at which a male experiences his first ejaculation.[1] It is considered to be the counterpart of
menarche in girls.[2][3] Depending on upbringing, cultural differences, and prior sexual knowledge, males may have different reactions to spermarche, ranging from fear to excitement.[4] 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 sex characteristics are just beginning to develop.[5] 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 samples to determine the presence of
spermatozoa. The presence of sperm in urine is referred to as
spermaturia.[3]
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.[6] Research from 2010 indicated that the average age for spermarche in the U.S. was 12–16.[7] In 2015, researchers in China determined that the average age for spermarche in China was 14.[8] Historical data from countries including Nigeria[9] and the United States also suggest 14 as an average age.[10]
Context
Various studies have examined the circumstances in which first
ejaculation occurred. Most commonly this occurred via a
nocturnal emission, with a significant number experiencing semenarche via
masturbation, which is very common at that stage. Less commonly, the first ejaculation occurred during
sexual intercourse with a partner.[11][9]
^
abKuhn, Howard E. (1989). "The Onset of Sperm Production in Pubertal Boys". American Journal of Diseases of Children. 143 (2): 190.
doi:
10.1001/archpedi.1989.02150140080024.
^Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 3rd edition, 2006.
ISBN978-0-13-195071-9
^Nielsen, C. Thøger; Skakkebæk, Niels E.; Richardson, David W.; Darling, Janet A. B.; Hunter, William M.; Jørgensen, Merete; Nielsen, Aage; Ingerslev, Olaf; Keiding, Niels; Müller, Jørn (1986). "Onset of the Release of Spermatozoa (Spermarche) in Boys in Relation to Age, Testicular Growth, Pubic Hair, and Height". The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 62 (3): 532–535.
doi:
10.1210/jcem-62-3-532.
PMID3944237.
^Stein, James H.; Whisnant Reiser, Lynn (1994). "A study of white middle-class adolescent boys' responses to ?semenarche? (The first ejaculation)". Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 23 (3): 373–384.
doi:
10.1007/BF01536725.
S2CID143706378.