A small genetic change that makes a baby boy has led some women to identify as girls.
The new change, which is being tested in the US, has been found to have a significant impact on the way a child is born.
It was discovered by researchers at the University of Washington, and has been confirmed by a genetic test done on more than 1,000 newborn boys and girls.
In one study, researchers found that about half of girls who became girls had a variant of the gene, called F508del.
This is a common gene that makes up about one third of male sex chromosomes.
A mutation that causes a baby to develop female sex characteristics has been known to affect about one in every 100,000 babies born in the United States.
The scientists involved with the study say it is likely to lead to more children being born with male sex characteristics and, potentially, more cases of transgenderism.
They say they are confident that the mutation will lead to some children being girls, but it could also lead to a greater chance of developing gender dysphoria, a condition in which the body cannot accept the sex of the person it was born with.
The researchers believe the mutation has a greater effect on boys than girls.
This is because the mutations affect the way the body is wired, and in males, it is much more likely to cause genital masculinisation and an increase in testosterone production, the researchers said.
Male infants do not get the full development of the body from the moment of conception, and can only be born with female characteristics, the scientists said.
“It’s possible that this is a one-in-100,000 chance that you might have some of the genetic abnormalities, but the likelihood is probably higher than that,” Dr Marcy Steckler, the lead author of the study, said.
“This may be due to some sort of mutation that the brain is able to correct for.
If the brain can’t fix the problem, then this mutation might be the result of a larger malformation of the brain.”
The researchers say there are more studies needed to establish whether the mutation affects other parts of the male brain, including the genitals, and to understand if there is any correlation between the mutation and the risk of developing transgenderism in later life.
There are currently no effective treatments for transgenderism, which causes gender dysphoric disorders, or gender dysphinisation, a change in the body’s perception of one’s sex.
Gender dysphoria can lead to anxiety, depression, anxiety attacks and depression-like symptoms.
The American Psychiatric Association has recommended that transgenderism should be included in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
The change will not affect any of the children who will now be boys, and the scientists say the results are not yet known if they will have any effect on the future lives of their children.
“We think this is the first of many studies to look at this in more detail,” Dr Steckling said.
Topics:biological-sciences,biotechnology-and-technology,children,sexual-health,science-and_technology,health,gender-identity,gender,science,women,health-policy,sexuality,united-statesFirst posted May 06, 2020 06:33:48Contact Emily Alder at emily.alder@news.com.au
