Endocrine Abstracts

Factors influencing gender during early development, i.e., the feeling to be male or female, are prenatal hormones and compounds that change the levels of these hormones, such as anticonvulsants. While an influence of genetic factors must be present, an influence of postnatal social factors has not been established. In rodents, masculinization of the brain in development is due to oestrogens that are formed by aromatization of testosterone. In sexual differentiation of the hum...

Gender dysphoria is a relatively common and incurable condition associated with infertility, social isolation, divorce and a high risk of substance abuse, mental disorder and suicide. Treatment involves often uncomfortable psychiatric interventions, lifelong medication and mutilating surgery.If we, as endocrinologists and advocates for this unfortunate group of people, hide behind the strictly pharmacotherapeutic dictate to 'first do no harm', we may wel...

The final stage of gender reassignment in female-to-male gender reassignment is phalloplasty of which there are various types. All patients should be fully counselled, shown photographs of the techniques and, if possible, discuss with patients who have had the various operations.The main objectives are to stand and void, have penetrative sexual intercourse and to have a good cosmetically acceptable phallus.The various types include...