Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). It begins by defining CAH and describing the developmental and physical conditions that are associated with the disorder. The paper then describes possible surgical interventions to correct any abnormalities and discusses the arguments for and against such procedures from a legal, ethical and social perspective.

Table of Contents:
Physical and Developmental
Medical and Surgical
Legal
Social, Psychological, Counseling
Ethical

From the Paper:

"Some sectors have severely objected to reshaping the genitals of underage children and the ethics of genital surgery, calling it mutilation rather than mere circumcision, repair or corrective surgery (Glass 2004). They deplored all genital cutting of children, regardless of gender, religion and local custom and urged that the rights of women and intersex people be protected. It was not just the ethics but the effectiveness of the surgical procedure, which has been questioned. Little data could neither support the adequacy of such a procedure, according to Dr. Cathy Minto of the University College London Hospitals (Johnson 2001). Her team studied 44 teen girls who underwent reconstructive genital surgery in childhood and found that 43 required further intervention for function or cosmetic purposes. Since the late 70s, female CAH infants have been subjected to surgery to feminize them by reducing the size of their clitoris in order to normalize the appearance of their genitalia. Dr. Sarah Creighton, a gynecologist consultant at the hospital questioned the need for the surgery before puberty when small girls do not use vaginas. She believed that clitoral surgery should be postponed when the girl is older and can think about the issue herself (Johnson). As things stood, clitoral surgery deprived the patient of the capacity for orgasm."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Deaton, M. A. (1999). Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: Not Really a Zebra. American Family Physician: Americal Academy of Family Physicians
• De Milto, L. (1997). Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. Encyclopedia of Medicine: Gale Research
• Diamond, M. (1997). Sexual Identity and Sexual Orientation in Children with Traumatized or Ambiguous Genitalia. Journal of Sex Research: Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Inc.
• Glass, M. (2004). Cruelest Cut. New Internationalist: New Internationalist Magazine
• Hineo, M. (2004). Androgen and Psychosexual Development: Core Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation and Recalled Childhood Gender Role Behavior in Women and Men with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. Journal of Sex Research: Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Inc.

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