Which statement describes Tanner Stage 3 in females?

• A. No breast budding and no pubic hair
• B. Small breast buds, Fine pubic hair
• C. Enlarging breast buds, darker pubic hair
• D. Breasts form mounds with areola

Answer: (C)

Puberty is tracked in girls by Tanner stages for breast and pubic hair development. In Stage 3, the breasts are enlarging beyond the small buds seen earlier, and pubic hair becomes darker and coarser as it spreads, but the final breast contour hasn’t formed the mature shape yet. That makes the description “enlarging breast buds, darker pubic hair” the best match. The other descriptions fit earlier or later stages: no development (Stage 1), small breast buds with fine pubic hair (Stage 2), and breasts forming a secondary mound with the areola (Stage 4).