title: Psychosexual development: an examination of the role of prenatal hormones.
abstract: Naturally occurring endocrine syndromes and the offspring from steroid-treated pregnancies are the major sources of evidence for a role of prenatal hormones in psychosexual development in man. Effects of prenatal androgens have been established for the sex-dimorphic behaviour clusters of energy expenditure (increased), parenting rehearsal (decreased), peer associations (shifted to male), and grooming-related behaviour (decreased); most of the information was obtained on the syndrome of congenital adrenal hyperplasia and in progestin-induced female hermaphroditism. Studies of children and adults exposed prenatally to exogenous oestrogens and/or progestagens suggest slight demasculinizing effects but cannot yet be considered conclusive. Gender identity is largely dependent on the sex of rearing; a direct role of prenatal hormones in its formation has not been shown. The evidence for the role of prenatal hormones in the development of sexual orientation is inconclusive.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D005783:Gender Identity; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011606:Psychosexual Development; D012725:Sexual Behavior
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones