Identifying trans women on testosterone suffering from menopausal symptoms in their 20s, study finds

Trans-identified women – biological females who identify as men – suffer menopausal symptoms after taking testosterone, according to a new study.

Symptoms such as incontinence, sexual dysfunction and even bedwetting have been noted in women in their 20s who attempted medical transition with cross-sex hormones, according to a study published last month in International Urogynecology Journal and led by researchers from the Federal University. from Pernambuco to Brazil.

Researchers looked at 68 trans-identified women who were taking testosterone. The women were only 18 years old, but their average age was 28.

The study found that more than 94% of trans-identified women had some type of pelvic floor dysfunction.

About 87% experienced urinary symptoms such as incontinence, frequent visits to the toilet, including at night, and bedwetting.

Women taking testosterone were about three times more likely to experience urinary incontinence or accidental leaking of urine than women not taking the medication – about 25% of trans-identified women had this symptom, compared to 8%. other women, according to the study.

About 74% of women suffered from intestinal problems such as constipation, inability to hold stools or flatulence.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP

Other symptoms included burning sensations and difficulty urinating and defecating.

Meanwhile, more than half of women, or 53 percent, have also suffered from sexual dysfunction, with almost half experiencing “orgasm disorder” and a quarter experiencing painful intercourse.

Elaine Miller, a pelvic health physiotherapist who has worked with around 20 people in transition, noted that bladder problems are embarrassing and have a profound impact on these young people’s lives.

“Many women are perfectly fine until menopause, and then they start leaking. It seems to be exactly the same trajectory for women taking cross-sex hormones, but there hasn’t been a lot of research,” Miller told the Telegraph.

“Getting wet is something that is just not socially acceptable, and it stops people from exercising, it stops them from having intimate relationships, it stops them from traveling, it impacts the work,” she said. “The impact of a small leak on the lives of these young people is enormous. This really needs to be discussed appropriately within gender clinics, as I would expect almost 100 percent of women who take cross-sex hormones to end up with these issues.

Miller added that some women say they were never informed of these risks by their gender clinic.

“It’s really sad to hear people say, ‘No one ever told me,’ and they should have been informed about the risks at gender clinics,” she told the outlet.