Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Genital Appearance (genital + appearance)
Selected AbstractsSexual Differentiation of Behaviour in Monkeys: Role of Prenatal HormonesJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 4 2009K. Wallen The theoretical debate over the relative contributions of nature and nurture to the sexual differentiation of behaviour has increasingly moved towards an interactionist explanation that requires both influences. In practice, however, nature and nurture have often been seen as separable, influencing human clinical sex assignment decisions, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Decisions about the sex assignment of children born with intersex conditions have been based almost exclusively on the appearance of the genitals and how other's reactions to the gender role of the assigned sex affect individual gender socialisation. Effects of the social environment and gender expectations in human cultures are ubiquitous, overshadowing the potential underlying biological contributions in favour of the more observable social influences. Recent work in nonhuman primates showing behavioural sex differences paralleling human sex differences, including toy preferences, suggests that less easily observed biological factors also influence behavioural sexual differentiation in both monkeys and humans. We review research, including Robert W. Goy's pioneering work with rhesus monkeys, which manipulated prenatal hormones at different gestation times and demonstrated that genital anatomy and specific behaviours are independently sexually differentiated. Such studies demonstrate that, for a variety of behaviours, including juvenile mounting and rough play, individuals can have the genitals of one sex but show the behaviour more typical of the other sex. We describe another case, infant distress vocalisations, where maternal responsiveness is best accounted for by the mother's response to the genital appearance of her offspring. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that sexual differentiation arises from complex interactions where anatomical and behavioural biases, produced by hormonal and other biological processes, are shaped by social experience into the behavioural sex differences that distinguish males and females. [source] ORIGINAL RESEARCH,INTERSEX AND GENDER IDENTITY DISORDERS: A Passion for Castration: Characterizing Men Who Are Fascinated with Castration, but Have Not Been CastratedTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 7 2008Lesley F. Roberts ABSTRACT Introduction., A number of men have extreme castration ideations. Many only fantasize about castration; others actualize their fantasies. Aims., We wish to identify factors that distinguish those who merely fantasize about being castrated from those who are at the greatest risk of genital mutilation. Methods., Seven hundred thirty-one individuals, who were not castrated, responded to a survey posted on http://www.eunuch.org. We compared the responses of these "wannabes" to those of 92 men who were voluntarily castrated and responded to a companion survey. Main Outcome Measures., Respondents answered the questionnaire items relating to demographics, origin of interest in castration, and ambition toward eunuchdom. Results., Two categories of wannabes emerged. A large proportion (,40%) of wannabes' interest in castration was singularly of a fetishistic nature, and these men appeared to be at a relatively low risk of irreversible genital mutilation. Approximately 20% of the men, however, appeared to be at great risk of genital mutilation. They showed a greater desire to reduce libido, change their genital appearance, transition out of male, and prevent sexually offensive behavior. Nineteen percent of all wannabes have attempted self-castration, yet only 10% have sought medical assistance. Conclusions., We identify several motivating factors for extreme castration ideations and provide a classification for reasons why some males desire orchiectomies. Castration ideations fall under several categories of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Ed. (DSM-IV), most notably a Gender Identity Disorder other than male-to-female (MtF) transsexual (i.e., male-to-eunuch) and a Body Identity Integrity Disorder. Physicians need to be aware of males who have strong desires for emasculation without a traditional MtF transsexual identity. Roberts LF, Brett MA, Johnson TW, and Wassersug RJ. A passion for castration: Characterizing men who are fascinated with castration, but have not been castrated. J Sex Med 2008;5:1669,1680. [source] Expectations and experience of labial reduction: a qualitative studyBJOG : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 12 2007R Bramwell Objective, To understand women's reasons for undergoing labial reduction surgery, their expectations and experiences. Design, A retrospective qualitative study. Setting, British National Health Service Hospital. Sample, Six women who had experienced surgery for labial reduction. Method, Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Results, Results relating to ,Normality and defect', ,Sex lives' and ,The process of accessing surgery' are presented in this study. The women had seen their presurgery genital appearance as ,defective' and sought a ,normal' genital appearance. They thought that their presurgery genital appearance impacted on their sex lives, but their expectations of the effects of surgery on their sex lives were not all fulfilled. Information about labial surgery came from both the popular media and the health services. An emphasis on, for example, physical discomfort rather than appearance may have been used to legitimise a request for surgery. The process of accessing surgery had exposed them to potentially conflicting messages about their genital appearance. Conclusions, Women presenting for labial reduction may have unrealistic expectations of surgery, but their perceptions and expectations are long-standing and seem to be based on strong cultural norms. The gynaecologist is also meeting those women who have already negotiated the referral process. As demand for this surgery appears to be increasing, further research is needed. These findings may add to the case for the potential value of specialist staff to provide psychosocial interventions within gynaecology services. [source] Transient anomalies in genital appearance in some extremely preterm female infants may be the result of foetal programming causing a surge in LH and the over activation of the pituitary,gonadal axisCLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Ronda Greaves Summary Aim, Animal studies have linked foetal programming with the development of the polycystic ovarian syndrome, and metabolic syndrome, in adulthood. The objective is to describe the investigation of four extreme-premature female infants born between 25 and 29 weeks' gestation with apparent genital abnormalities in association with unusually high androgens and gonadotrophins, to postulate a cause and to raise awareness of pitfalls in assessment of these infants. Methods, Clinical examination and biochemical evaluation of four infants referred for apparent congenital ambiguity. Results, Female gender was assigned at birth. Chromosome analysis confirmed 46XX, urine steroid profiles demonstrated no evidence of congenital adrenal hyperplasia and only the expected levels of foetal adrenal steroids. Elevated LH (up to 162 IU/l), testosterone (up to 2·6 nmol/l), ,4 androstenedione (up to > 35 nmol/l) and dehydro-epiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) (up to 26·6 µmol/l) were seen in all four infants. These decreased over time but were significantly different from a control population of premature infants of similar gestational age. Conclusions, We postulate that the clinical pattern of apparent clitoral enlargement in some extremely premature infants may reflect true temporary virilization due to an unusually high (or excessive) LH surge, in turn causing high foetal androgens. Foetal programming of gonadotrophin excess is probably the primary cause of androgen increase, in turn causing virilization, in some extreme-premature infants. These may potentially be a group at future risk of polycystic ovary or metabolic syndrome, however, further work needs to be conducted to substantiate this hypothesis. [source] | ||||||||||