3.5 Ask The Doc

Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome:

A rare condition that occurs every 1 in 13,000 births. Androgen insensitivity syndrome, aka AIS, is when an individual is biologically male, yet resistant to the androgen aka male hormones. It is caused by genetics where the mom passes it to the baby, and the infant's body then becomes defected and unable to respond to the androgen. AIS can be divided into partial or complete; simply meaning one AIS victim might be born looking like a girl (complete) where the other might just be lacking a few male characteristics (partial). According to MedlinePlus, "infertile male syndrome is also considered to be part of partial AIS" (Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, 2020). Treatment is most common for those who have partial AIS opposed to complete- where it usually doesn't carry a lot of cons...until after puberty. Treatments might include genital surgeries or hormone replacement therapy. "Androgen insensitivity can be associated with psychosocial problems. Young people diagnosed with androgen insensitivity may have questions about their gender and sexual identity" (Boskey, 2020). We can use this week's article to help these individuals cope by reiterating that sex and/or gender is not as simple as we were taught growing up. AIS can make it difficult for an individual to interpret themselves because it is difficult to fully understand the chemistry of oneself if it is abnormal or not standard. They are more likely to see themselves as fitting in better as both a man and a woman or hold confusion.