Adolescents may be eligible for puberty-suppressing hormones as soon as pubertal changes have begun. In order for adolescents and their parents to make an informed decision about pubertal delay, it is recommended that adolescents experience the onset of puberty to at least Tanner Stage 2. Some children may arrive at this stage at very young ages (e.g., 9 years of age). Studies evaluating this approach have only included children who were at least 12 years of age (CohenKettenis, Schagen, Steensma, de Vries, & Delemarre-van de Waal, 2011; de Vries, Steensma et al., 2010; Delemarre-van de Waal, van Weissenbruch, & Cohen Kettenis, 2004; Delemarre-van de Waal & Cohen-Kettenis, 2006).
Two goals justify intervention with puberty-suppressing hormones:
(i) their use gives adolescents more time to explore their gender nonconformity and other developmental issues; and
(ii) their use may facilitate transition by preventing the development of sex characteristics that are difficult or impossible to reverse if adolescents continue on to pursue sex reassignment.
Puberty suppression may continue for a few years, at which time a decision is made to either discontinue all hormone therapy or transition to a feminizing/masculinizing hormone regimen. Pubertal suppression does not inevitably lead to social transition or to sex reassignment.
Criteria for Puberty-Suppressing Hormones
In order for adolescents to receive puberty-suppressing hormones, the following minimum criteria must be met:
1. The adolescent has demonstrated a long-lasting and intense pattern of gender nonconformity or gender dysphoria (whether suppressed or expressed);
2. Gender dysphoria emerged or worsened with the onset of puberty;
3. Any coexisting psychological, medical, or social problems that could interfere with treatment (e.g., that may compromise treatment adherence) have been addressed, such that the adolescent’s situation and functioning are stable enough to start treatment;
4. The adolescent has given informed consent and, particularly when the adolescent has not reached the age of medical consent, the parents or other caretakers or guardians have consented to the treatment and are involved in supporting the adolescent throughout the treatment process.
Neither puberty suppression nor allowing puberty to occur is a neutral act. On the one hand, functioning in later life can be compromised by the development of irreversible secondary sex characteristics during puberty and by years spent experiencing intense gender dysphoria. On the other hand, there are concerns about negative physical side effects of GnRH analogue use (e.g., on bone development and height). Although the very first results of this approach (as assessed for adolescents followed over 10 years) are promising (Cohen-Kettenis et al., 2011; Delemarre-van de Waal & Cohen-Kettenis, 2006), the long-term effects can only be determined when the earliesttreated patients reach the appropriate age.
Partially Reversible Interventions
Adolescents may be eligible to begin feminizing/masculinizing hormone therapy, preferably with parental consent. In many countries, 16-year-olds are legal adults for medical decision-making and do not require parental consent. Ideally, treatment decisions should be made among the adolescent, the family, and the treatment team. Regimens for hormone therapy in gender dysphoric adolescents differ substantially from those used in adults (Hembree et al., 2009). The hormone regimens for youth are adapted to account for the somatic, emotional, and mental development that occurs throughout adolescence (Hembree et al., 2009).
Irreversible Interventions
Genital surgery should not be carried out until
(i) patients reach the legal age of majority to give consent for medical procedures in a given country, and
(ii) patients have lived continuously for at least 12 months in the gender role that is congruent with their gender identity.
The age threshold should be seen as a minimum criterion and not an indication in and of itself for active intervention.
Chest surgery in FtM patients could be carried out earlier, preferably after ample time of living in the desired gender role and after one year of testosterone treatment. The intent of this suggested sequence is to give adolescents sufficient opportunity to experience and socially adjust in a more masculine gender role, before undergoing irreversible surgery. However, different approaches may be more suitable, depending on an adolescent’s specific clinical situation and goals for gender identity expression