van der Meulen Isabelle, van der Miesen Anna, Hannema Sabine, de Vries Annelou

(198) THE EFFECT OF PUBERTY SUPPRESSION ON SEXUAL FUNCTIONING IN TRANSWOMEN AFTER GENDER AFFIRMATIVE SURGERY

  • Urology
  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Endocrinology
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
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Abstract Objectives To improve informed and evidence based care for transgender adolescents by gaining insight into the long-term effects on sexual development and functioning of early treatment with puberty suppression in transgender adolescents. This is the first study to specifically evaluate postoperative sexual function in transgender women who have not gone through endogenous pubertal development, with a special focus to their ability to orgasm. Methods A questionnaire on sexual experiences was used approximately one year after genital gender affirmative surgery. We then compared the answers of transwomen that were treated with puberty suppression in early puberty (Tanner stage 2 or 3), with those that were treated with puberty suppression in late puberty (Tanner Stage 4 or 5), under more with the use of Pearson ChiSquare tests. Results 37 transwomen that received gender affirmative treatment, consisting of puberty suppression, cross-sex hormones and vaginoplasty, were included. Of all transwomen, 76% was able to reach an orgasm after vaginoplasty. Of the transwomen that were treated with puberty blockers early in puberty, 81% was able to experience an orgasm postsurgery. When looking at the ability to reach an orgasm after vaginoplasty, we found that there was no difference (p=0,278) between those that were treated with puberty blockers in early versus those that were treated in late puberty. Of the transwomen who did not experience an orgasm before surgery, 75% was able to reach one after. Approximately half to three quarters of the transwoman experienced sexual difficulties when having sexual intercourse. Conclusions Both transwomen treated with early and late puberty suppression are equally able to experience an orgasm after vaginoplasty. Likewise, it is not necessary to experience desire, arousal or orgasms presurgery to be able to experience these postsurgery. The majority of transwomen sometimes experience some difficulties in their sex life, but this is not dependent on the puberty stage they started blockers in. Conflicts of Interest We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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