title: Gender assignment in patients with disorder of sex development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the sex assignment in patients with atypical external genitalia, a particularly challenging situation, especially when the genital appearance is not compatible with the sex chromosome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most important factors that influence sex assignment include the definite diagnosis, genital appearance, surgical options, potential for fertility, risks of gonadal malignancy and, finally, the perception of the patients and their parents. Full disclosure and complete involvement of the parents in making decisions concerning gender assignment and/or genital surgery must be part of the basic medical care for children with disorder of sex development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with disorder of sex development should receive long-term care provided by multidisciplinary teams in centers of excellence with ample experience in the management of this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Berenice B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Mendonca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002668:Child Rearing; D003657:Decision Making; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000473:pathology*; D005837:Genitalia, Male; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011606:Psychosexual Development; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D013519:Urogenital Surgical Procedures