One-third of amenorrheic transmasculine people on testosterone ovulate

Transmasculine people usually reach amenorrhea within 6 months of adequate testosterone treatment. It is often assumed that no ovulation occurs during amenorrhea. However, in this study, we report recent ovulatory activity in amenorrheic transmasculine people on testosterone therapy at gender-affirm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cell reports. Medicine 2024-03, Vol.5 (3), p.101440-101440, Article 101440
Main Authors: Asseler, Joyce D., del Valle, Julieta S., Chuva de Sousa Lopes, Susana M., Verhoeven, Marieke O., Goddijn, Mariette, Huirne, Judith A.F., van Mello, Norah M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
amenorrhea
Amenorrhea - drug therapy
Female
fertility
Humans
Ovulation
Pregnancy
testosterone
Testosterone - therapeutic use
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Summary:Transmasculine people usually reach amenorrhea within 6 months of adequate testosterone treatment. It is often assumed that no ovulation occurs during amenorrhea. However, in this study, we report recent ovulatory activity in amenorrheic transmasculine people on testosterone therapy at gender-affirming oophorectomy. Histological signs of recent ovulatory activity, including the presence of ovulatory follicles, corpus luteum, and corpus albicans, are observed in 17 of 52 individuals (33%). This is not significantly correlated to the duration, testosterone serum levels, or type of testosterone used. These results suggest that amenorrhea does not equal anovulation in transmasculine people on adequate testosterone therapy, emphasizing the importance of contraception for people who engage in sexual activity that can result in pregnancy. [Display omitted] •33% of amenorrheic TGD people on testosterone show recent ovulatory activity•These findings challenge the assumption that amenorrhea equals anovulation•Contraception remains vital for preventing pregnancy in this demographic Asseler et al. report a surprising finding in transmasculine and gender-diverse individuals undergoing testosterone therapy. Contrary to common belief, their study reveals ovulatory activity in 33% of amenorrheic participants during gender-affirming oophorectomy. This challenges assumptions about anovulation during amenorrhea, highlighting the need for contraception in this demographic.
ISSN:2666-3791
2666-3791
DOI:10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101440