GENDER DEVELOPMENT IN BOYS BORN WITH HYPOSPADIAS

Fetal testicular androgens in several mammalian species are responsibl e for the sexual differentiation of both the genitalia and the brain, the latter effect being related to behavioral sex-dimorphisms. Because prenatal endocrine abnormalities can be inferred from genital defects , studies of individuals born with anomalies potentially elucidate the contribution of androgens to the development of gender-related variat ion in human behavior. This study concerns the gender-role behavior of middle childhood boys (ages 6-10 years; n=175) born with hypospadias, an androgen-related genital anomaly. Parents completed standardized g ender behavior questionnaires in a postal survey. Hypospadias subjects did not show consistent differences from a community control group (n =333) in feminine behavior, but significant, small, increases in mascu line behavior were found. Severity of the hypospadias was unrelated to gender-role behavior. A number of surgery-related hospitalizations, h owever, were correlated with increased gender-atypical behavior. It is concluded that the hypoandrogenization associated with hypospadias do es not interfere with the development of gender-typical masculine beha vior.