Sex reassignment: A challenging problem - current medical and islamic guidelines.
Sexual ambiguity is a complex and often confusing medical problem. In addition to the life-threatening adrenal crises which may accompany some forms, ambiguity of the genitalia may lead to incorrect sex assignment by parents and/or health personnel. Children who present to medical attention beyond the neonatal period constitute a challenging problem due to the grave consequences of this condition. Thirty cases in whom sex reassignment was indicated were seen at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, over a 10-year period. Of these, 27 (90%) were genetic females (20 were 21- and seven were 11-hydroxylase deficient) and three (10%) were genetic males (two partial androgen insensitive and one 5alpha-reductase deficient). All genetic males who were incorrectly assigned as females accepted reassignment. But 9 out of 27 (33%) of the genetic females who were incorrectly assigned as males refused reassignment. Preference for male sex assignment, delayed diagnosis and sociocultural circumstances seem to be the contributing factors for refusal. A national consensus about this important issue strengthened by the existing religious recommendations in demanded.
Al Herbish
A S
AS
Departments of Pediatrics, Surgery, and Radiology, King Khalid University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Security Forces Hospital, and Pediatric Surgery, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Al Jurayyan
N A
NA
Abo Bakr
A M
AM
Abdullah
M A
MA
Al Husain
M
M
Al Rabeah
A A
AA
Patel
P J
PJ
Jawad
A
A
Al Samarrai
A I
AI