The issue of babies born with ambiguous genitalia was the subject of discussion at the two-day symposium at the King Fahd Centre for Medical Research recently.

“In such abnormal cases the male reproductive systems are either bigger than the female reproductive systems or smaller than the normal male systems,” explained Dr. Yasser Jamal, professor of paediatric surgery at KAUH.

Solving the problem of ambiguous genitalia begins with deciding what the baby’s chromosomes are to determine sex. If they are XX then the baby is considered to be female and if the baby has XY chromosomes, then it is considered to be a boy. There are three types of intersex babies. Either the baby has more male genitals than female genitals. In such a case, doctors fix the male side of the baby. Or the baby has more female genitals, in which case doctors would fix the female side of the baby. The third type of intersex baby is the epicene — a baby that has one ovary and one testis. In such a situation, doctors check to see which sex the baby is closer to.

If the problem is discovered when the baby has grown up, then doctors will see how the individual has been raised by his or her family. In such a case they would also take into consideration whether the individual involved is capable of marrying and getting pregnant and then accordingly decide which sex would be most appropriate.

In such cases, most parents prefer their babies become male rather than female. “Adults who grow up as females with male genitals experience less social difficulties when they go through sex-correction operations to become males since they end up having the freedom to drive, go out and do more activities than girls in our society,” Dr Jamal said and added that the situation is just the opposite for males who later in life become females.

Once a person‘s gender is changed, his or her legal papers and identity documents are altered after a hospital report is issued saying that the individual’s sex has been changed.

“I strongly do not recommend delivering babies at home. Newborn babies must be checked to treat them at an early stage if they have an intersex problem so they don’t suffer the experience of changing gender later in life. This is something which needs psychological therapy,” he said.

According to him, genetic reasons are the most common causes of intersex cases. But certain medicines that mothers take during pregnancies also affect babies.

Operations cost SR50,000 to SR100,000,  something, which hospitals perform for free as well. It takes six months to one year to diagnose a case, do the operation and complete hormonal treatment.

Jamal said that people who undergo sex change must not be ashamed of themselves because this is how Allah has created them and it is no fault of their own. However, people who change their sex for no medical reason are the ones who should be ashamed. He added that people who undergo sex correction can get married and have children unlike people who change their sex for no medical reason.

“We do get some requests but I refuse doing such operations. They are fooling themselves and would be cheating their partners if they got married because they would not be able to lead a normal life afterward and their partners would be the victims,” he said.