A1: Early Adulthood Development (19-45)

Question 1

What is maturation?

Answer 1

• physical maturity in early adulthood reached

Question 2

What ages are you at your physical peak?

Answer 2

• 19-28
• hand-eye coordination at its peak
• young adults now reached full height and strength
• reaction times and manual dexterity reached peak
• sexual characteristics fully developed
• women are most fertile here, can get pregnant and lactate

Question 3

What happens after 28?

Answer 3

• decline in physical capabilities
• gradually lose strength and speed

these can go unnoticed towards end of life stage if:
- have unhealthy diets
- maintain an unhealthy diet
- do not take regular exercise

Question 4

What is dexterity?

Answer 4

• skills in performing tasks

Question 5

Pregnancy and lactation in early adulthood:

Answer 5

• pregnancy may occur
• during this, women experience physical and emotional changes
• pregnancy releases hormones that can cause mood changes

Question 6

Hormones in pregnancy:

Answer 6

• increase in progesterone maintains pregnancy
• increase in oestrogen may be responsible for sickness some suffer from
• hormones affect shape of / appearance of breasts in readiness for lactation (nipples and areolas darken) and sensitivity in breasts increases

Question 7

Exam question:
most professional athletes will reach a career peak in the first part of early adulthood
explain why their success happens at this time, with reference to their physical stage of development (6 marks)

Answer 7

• in early adulthood (19-45), young adults (19-28) have reached full height and strength
• hand-eye coordination is also at it’s peak
• reaction times and manual dexterity also at peak
• after young adults reach 28, physical capabilities decline and they gradually lose strength and speed
• possible reasons for these physical changes could be due to unhealthy diets, no regular exercise, or maintaining an unhealthy lifestyle
• they have reached maturation

Question 8

What is perimenopause?

Answer 8

• women in 40s = ovaries produce less oestrogen
• ovaries don’t produce eggs every month
• this lasts until menopause
• when ovaries stop producing eggs, average is 4-5 years for this translon (can be months or years)
• perimenopause ends when a woman has not had a monthly period for 12 months
• during this, a woman may experience emotional and physical symptoms

Question 9

What are the symptoms or perimenopause?

Answer 9

• hot flushes
• night sweats
• mood swings
• loss of libido
• vaginal dryness
• fatigue
• irregular or very heavy periods
• trouble sleeping
• urine leakage when coughing or sneezing
• urine urgency