I’m not so old that I have forgotten Joe Biden and the entire Democrat party talking about the need to give children access to “gender-affirming care”. This is the term used to describe steps to deny children’s gender by 1) social denial of gender, 2) injecting them with gender-denying drugs, and 3) performing gender-denying surgeries on children. Let’s see what the new study says.

Here is the new study about treatments for children (ages 10-18), published by Springer in Current Sex Health Reports.

A key question at the center of the controversy regarding pediatric gender-affirming care is whether it is safe and effective. Therefore, analysis of the evidence base for PB/GAH use requires understanding of the potential risks and benefits. Thus, the relevant questions are: what are the goals of PB/GAH in the context of pediatric gender-affirming care? To this end, is treatment effective? What are the risks? Are these treatments safe?

Here is the list of risks that are identified in the study:

1. Decreased bone mineralization.
2. Negative impact on neuropsychological functioning.
3. Metabolic and cardiovascular risks.
4. Infertility.
5. Impaired sexual function.
6. Surgical complications.
7. Detransition and/or regret.

The study looks at studies about the supposed benefits of “gender-affirming” care, and whether those are proven, as well as the risks of “gender-affirming” care and whether those are proven. It uses previous research to reach conclusions, such as the famous Cass Review from the UK, as well as studies from Sweden and Finald.

The report concludes that the evidence supporting mental health improvements from hormone treatment in pediatric “gender-affirming” care is of low quality. Why? Because the studies often show no significant reduction in psychological distress, suicidality, or other mental health issues. In fact, there are indications of potential worsening of symptoms in certain cases. So, even in the best case, the benefits are not proven.

What about the 7 risks? The report discusses the seven risks I listed above, using clinical studies and reviews. Each risk is supported by evidence.

Here they are, in descending order, from most risky to least risky:

Infertility

The article shows strong proof that puberty blockers and hormones can make it hard or impossible for kids to have children later, especially if treatment starts young. Many studies agree on this risk, and there’s little evidence that fertility can be fully saved, making it the best-supported concern.

Bone Health Deterioration

Research in the article clearly links puberty blockers to weaker bones, which can lead to more fractures, and stopping treatment may not fully fix this. The evidence is solid but ranks second because we don’t know enough about how bones recover over time.

Cardiovascular Complications

The article points to studies showing hormones, especially estrogen, raise the chance of blood clots and heart problems, based on adult experiences. There’s less information for kids, so it ranks third since the evidence partly relies on adults.

Sexual Dysfunction

Puberty blockers can affect sexual development, causing issues like low sex drive or trouble with orgasm, according to some studies in the article. The evidence isn’t as strong as for infertility or bones because long-term effects in kids aren’t well-studied.

Regret/Detransition

Some kids later regret treatment or want to detransition, with studies showing this happens in 1–10% of cases, but the numbers vary. This ranks lower because the evidence is mixed and depends on personal and social factors.

Mental Health Concerns

The article finds little proof that gender-affirming care improves mental health, and some studies suggest it might not help or could worsen things. The evidence is weaker because results differ across studies, making it less certain.

Cancer Risk

Hormones might increase the risk of cancers like breast or prostate cancer, but the article says there’s no solid proof yet, just guesses. This has the least evidence since there are no long-term studies on kids to back it up.

My thoughts:

So, I hope this will help you to have conversations about this topic. I would especially remember the two at the top: infertility and bone health detioration, as the most well-supported by the evidence.