The Transgender Clinic follows national and international professional guidelines. To start gender affirming hormones, a young person needs to have gone through puberty, or have been on puberty blockers for several years. They need a letter from their therapist and baseline blood work. The team will help determine the appropriate type and timing of treatment based in part on physical examination and blood work.
We discuss the risks and benefits of treatment. One risk is infertility. We will discuss options to preserve fertility prior to starting treatment.
If the patient is under 18 years old, the patient signs an assent form and the family signs a consent form to start. If the patient is 18 or older, the patient signs the consent form to start.
Patients, their families, and the treatment team all need to agree that this is the appropriate next step if the patient is under 18 years old. The effects of these medications are only partially reversible.