Final answer:
Improper development of secondary sex characteristics during puberty can lead to infertility and a delay in sexual maturation due to a hormonal imbalance. This affects the growth of physical traits and the ability to reproduce and can have significant psychosocial impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Puberty is a critical period where individuals become sexually mature, marked by the development of secondary sex characteristics. These traits, differentiating between the sexes, include the growth of pubic and facial hair, deepening of the voice, and broadening of the shoulders in males, and development of breasts and widening of the hips in females. When puberty fails to proceed normally, the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and gonads may not interact correctly, leading to hormonal imbalances.
Hormones like testosterone and estrogen are integral in this process, and their lack thereof can result in atrophy of sex organs and lack of secondary characteristic development. Conditions such as infertility, which can affect one's ability to conceive, are potential long-term consequences of improperly developed secondary characteristics. Furthermore, the lack of sexual maturation can also contribute to psychosocial impacts related to body image and self-esteem.