Health care professionals and intersex conditions

As part of a larger project, a multidisciplinary group convened by The Hastings Center, Garrison, NY, met to consider medical, psychosocial, and ethical issues associated with the care of children born with atypical genitalia or later found to have other conditions now commonly grouped together as "intersex." These children may have congenital adrenal hyperplasia, gonadal dysgenesis, hypospadias, partial or complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, etc. This commentary reflects the deliberations of the group, which concluded that none of the appearance-altering surgeries need to be performed quickly; families with children with intersex conditions require multidisciplinary care; children with intersex conditions deserve to know the truth about their bodies; families and health care professionals will benefit from rigorous longitudinal studies; and health care professionals need additional training about intersex conditions and sexual health generally.