Gender-Affirming Care of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth: Current Concepts.

Abstract

Increasing numbers of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) youth, from early puberty through late adolescence, are seeking medical services to bring their physical sex characteristics into alignment with their gender identity-their inner sense of self as male or female or elsewhere on the gender spectrum. Numerous studies, primarily of short- and medium-term duration (up to 6 years), demonstrate the clearly beneficial-even lifesaving-mental health impact of gender-affirming medical care in TGD youth. However, there are significant gaps in knowledge and challenges to such care. Long-term safety and efficacy studies are needed to optimize medical care for TGD youth.