Transgender endocrinology

Gender is an identity that forms as a person develops. In cisgender people, their gender is equivalent to their sex assigned at birth; in transgender people their gender differs from their sex assigned at birth. Hormones are often prescribed to transgender people in order to make their bodies appear more consistent with their gender identity. Use of gender affirming hormones have a biochemical/endocrine effect that leads to downstream phenotypic changes. Masculinizing hormone treatment uses testosterone, and feminizing hormone treatment uses estrogen in conjunction with antiandrogens. Additionally, use of hormones will shift most laboratory values that are known to have sex-differences. This chapter provides a general overview of gender affirming hormones and their influence on laboratory tests.