Why it's done

Feminizing hormone therapy is used to alter your hormone levels to match your gender identity. Typically, people who seek feminizing hormone therapy experience discomfort or distress because their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics (gender dysphoria). To avoid excess risk, the goal is to maintain hormone levels in the normal range for the target gender.

Feminizing hormone therapy can:

• Make gender dysphoria less severe
• Reduce psychological and emotional distress
• Improve psychological and social functioning
• Improve sexual satisfaction
• Improve quality of life

Research suggests that feminizing hormone therapy can be safe and effective.

If used in an adolescent, hormone therapy typically begins at age 16. Ideally, treatment starts before the development of secondary sex characteristics so that teens can go through puberty as their identified gender. Many trans girls are treated with a medication to delay the start of puberty. Gender affirming hormone therapy is not typically used in children.

Feminizing hormone therapy isn't for all trans women. Your doctor might discourage feminizing hormone therapy if you:

• Had or have a hormone-sensitive cancer, such as prostate cancer
• Have a thromboembolic disease, such as when a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins of your body (deep vein thrombosis) or a blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in your lungs (pulmonary embolism)
• Have uncontrolled behavioral health conditions
• Have uncontrolled significant medical conditions
• Have a condition that limits your ability to provide informed consent