Some patients with disorders of sex development (DSDs) experience gender dysphoria and desire to transition, according to new research in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Usually caused by genetic or hormonal issues, DSDs occur when a fetus develops differently from a typical male or female. For example, girls with vaginal agenesis are born without a fully developed vagina. Or, a child might be born with one testis and one ovary.
In the past, decisions about sex and gender in children with DSDs were usually made by parents shortly after the child’s birth. Nowadays, such decisions are more likely to be put on hold until children can give consent and express their gender identity.