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.