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Editors: Managing Editor: Editorial Assistant: Contents Info Published by |
Abstracts
Volume 3, Number 3, July - September 1999
- Hormonal Sex Reassignment
- Factors Which Influence Individual’s Decisions When Considering Female-To-Male Genital Reconstructive Surgery
The author reviews the relevant current literature on the subject. He goes on to outline detailed treatment recommendations for MTFs with estrogens and antiandrogens. He highlights side effects and complications such as venous thrombosis, breast cancer in individuals with a predisposing family history and the rare incidence of prolactin producing tumors.
Similarly, a detailed review of androgen administration in FTMs is provided describing the cessation of menstruation and the development of a male hair pattern. Contraindication against high dose use of sex steroids consist of serious liver, cardiovascular, cerebrovascualar, and thromboembolic disease, marked obesity, and poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.
Finally, the complicated medicolegal issues of juvenile gender dysphoria are mentioned. Rather than giving heterotypical sex steroids, the author recommends hormonal delay of the onset of puberty until an age when a responsible decision can be made.
Factors Which Influence Individual’s Decisions When Considering Female-To-Male Genital Reconstructive Surgery
This research examined the factors, which influenced the decisions of people who had considered female-to-male genital reconstructive surgery. The sample consisted of 27 people who had been born as female and had male gender identities. Subjects were recruited from a support group for female-to-male transsexuals (FTMs) in New York City and from participants at a conference for female-to-male transsexuals in San Francisco. A questionnaire was designed to explore subject demographics and surgical decision-making. Respondents rated contact with other FTMs and information from within the FTM community as the most important sources influencing their decision. Lack of money and inadequate medical technology were the most frequent obstacles to implementing their choice. Results illustrate the growing influence of community and peer support services. Results also challenge the expectation that FTMs will request genital reconstructive surgery (phalloplasty in particular) and identify some of the numerous reasons why FTMs may not undergo such surgery.
