E34.50: Partial androgen resistance syndrome

Your male sex hormones are only having a limited effect in your body.

They carry male genetic information. When someone carries male genetic information, the male genital organs usually develop in the womb. These include the penis and testicles, for example. For male genital organs to develop properly, the person also needs male sex hormones. The testicles produce male sex hormones. An example of a male sex hormone is testosterone. Male sex hormones control the development of male genital organs. Male sex hormones are also responsible for the development of typical male characteristics during puberty. These include male pattern hair and a deep voice.

For the sex hormones to be effective, they bind to certain docking sites on the cells. In your case these docking sites have changed. As a result, your male sex hormones are only able to have a limited effect in your body.

If the male sex hormones can only have a limited effect while in the womb, the person may develop both male and female characteristics externally. The external genital organs may look very different, depending on how effectively the male sex hormones are able to be in the body.

If the male sex hormones are still able to be somewhat, or almost completely, effective in the body, the person will usually tend to have a male appearance. However, the urethra may not end at the tip of the penis, as is normal. Instead, the urethra may end at the underside of the penis. Moreover, the penis may be more bent and smaller than is normal. The external genital organs may also look normal. Then problems may only arise at puberty or at an adult age. Breasts may grow at puberty, for example. And less hair than usual may grow in the pubic area and in the armpits.

If, however, the male sex hormones are having very little effect in the body, the external genital organs may look very feminized. It may also be that the external genital organs look neither typically male or female.