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Gender assignment in male pseudohermaphroditism: an Indian perspective

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Abstract

Parents of 21 out of 30 children with male pseudohermaphroditism (MPH) opted for a male upbringing for their child and appropriate management was instituted. The phallic size in these 21 children varied from adequate to microphallus, although at least one externally visible testis was present in all cases. Nine children who were assigned a female gender were being reared as girls at home prior to medical consultation and 7 of them had a female-type vulvar outlet. This predominance of male gender assignment in MPH is in striking contrast to the Western experience. The reasons for this difference in India are discussed in the light of the Indian social and economic background.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Paediatric Surgery, Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, 632004, Tamil Nadu, India

    M. Jini, S. Sen, J. Chacko, N. Zachariah & K. E. Mammen

  2. Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology, Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, 632004, Tamil Nadu, India

    P. Raghupathy

Authors
  1. M. Jini
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  2. S. Sen
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  3. J. Chacko
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  4. N. Zachariah
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  5. P. Raghupathy
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  6. K. E. Mammen
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Correspondence to: S. Sen

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Jini, M., Sen, S., Chacko, J. et al. Gender assignment in male pseudohermaphroditism: an Indian perspective. Pediatr Surg Int 8, 500–501 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00180354

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00180354

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