What are disorders of sex differentiation (DSD)?

What are disorders of sex differentiation (DSD)?

Disorders of sexual differentiation are rare congenital conditions in which a baby is born with either both male and female reproductive organs, atypical sex chromosomes or atypical appearances to their genitals. In such cases, it is not always possible to tell right away (differentiate) whether the baby is a boy or a girl. In the past, disorders of sex differentiation were given names such as intersex or hermaphroditism.

If your child has a disorder of sex differentiation (DSD), the sex chromosomes may still be female (XX) or male (XY). At the same time, your child’s reproductive organs and genitals may be those of the opposite sex. That leaves the sex assignment unclear or a mixture of both male and female.