TY - JOUR

T1 - Gender incongruence and timing of puberty

T2 - a population-based cohort study

AU - Thomsen, Anne H.

AU - Gaml-Sorensen, Anne

AU - Brix, Nis

AU - Ernst, Andreas

AU - Lunddorf, Lea L. H.

AU - Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine

AU - Hojgaard, Astrid

AU - Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia H.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Objective: To study whether the timing of puberty in adolescents who reported gender incongruence (incongruence between birth -assigned sex and self-identified gender) was different from those adolescents who reported gender congruence.Design: Population-based cohort study using data from the Danish National Birth Cohort.Setting: Not applicable.Patient(s): Birth-assigned boys and girls born between 2000 and 2003, who self-reported gender incongruence at 11 years (N = 10,046) and their pubertal developmental stages from age 11 years to every 6 months throughout puberty were included.Intervention(s): Not applicable.Main Outcome Measure: Mean age differences in months at reaching Tanner stages 2-5 for breast or genital development and pubic hair, voice break, first ejaculation, menarche, axillary hair, acne, and the average difference at attaining all pubertal milestones (primary outcome).Result(s): In total, 549 (5.5% ) adolescents reported part or full gender incongruence at 11 years. Tendencies toward earlier timing of puberty were observed in adolescents who reported part gender incongruence (average difference, birth-assigned boys: -3.2 months [95% confidence interval {CI}: -6.7; 0.3]; birth-assigned girls: -2.0 months [95% CI: -3.9; -0.1]). Tendencies toward earlier timing of puberty were observed in adolescents who reported full gender incongruence (average difference, birth-assigned boys: -2.4 months [95% CI: -5.0; 0.4]; birth-assigned girls: -1.9 months [95% CI: -5.1; 1.2]).Conclusions: The results from this study indicated that birth-assigned boys and girls who reported either part or full gender incongruence tended to reach puberty slightly earlier than those adolescents who reported gender congruence at 11 years of age. Knowledge on the timing of puberty among adolescents who experience gender incongruence is essential to inform mutual decision-making in clinical settings. (Fertil Sterile 2022;118:938-45. (c) 2022 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

AB - Objective: To study whether the timing of puberty in adolescents who reported gender incongruence (incongruence between birth -assigned sex and self-identified gender) was different from those adolescents who reported gender congruence.Design: Population-based cohort study using data from the Danish National Birth Cohort.Setting: Not applicable.Patient(s): Birth-assigned boys and girls born between 2000 and 2003, who self-reported gender incongruence at 11 years (N = 10,046) and their pubertal developmental stages from age 11 years to every 6 months throughout puberty were included.Intervention(s): Not applicable.Main Outcome Measure: Mean age differences in months at reaching Tanner stages 2-5 for breast or genital development and pubic hair, voice break, first ejaculation, menarche, axillary hair, acne, and the average difference at attaining all pubertal milestones (primary outcome).Result(s): In total, 549 (5.5% ) adolescents reported part or full gender incongruence at 11 years. Tendencies toward earlier timing of puberty were observed in adolescents who reported part gender incongruence (average difference, birth-assigned boys: -3.2 months [95% confidence interval {CI}: -6.7; 0.3]; birth-assigned girls: -2.0 months [95% CI: -3.9; -0.1]). Tendencies toward earlier timing of puberty were observed in adolescents who reported full gender incongruence (average difference, birth-assigned boys: -2.4 months [95% CI: -5.0; 0.4]; birth-assigned girls: -1.9 months [95% CI: -5.1; 1.2]).Conclusions: The results from this study indicated that birth-assigned boys and girls who reported either part or full gender incongruence tended to reach puberty slightly earlier than those adolescents who reported gender congruence at 11 years of age. Knowledge on the timing of puberty among adolescents who experience gender incongruence is essential to inform mutual decision-making in clinical settings. (Fertil Sterile 2022;118:938-45. (c) 2022 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

KW - Gender incongruence

KW - pubertal timing

KW - gender identity

KW - population-based

KW - IDENTITY DISORDER

KW - ADOLESCENTS

KW - PATTERN

KW - ONSET

U2 - 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.07.018

DO - 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.07.018

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36163086

VL - 118

SP - 938

EP - 945

JO - Sexuality, Reproduction and Menopause

JF - Sexuality, Reproduction and Menopause

SN - 1546-2501

IS - 5

ER -