cross-posted from: https://exploding-heads.com/post/140731

“Testosterone therapy may cause transient infertility due to loss of ovulation or irreversible infertility due to ovarian tissue damage,” one warning from a document titled “Consent For Testosterone Therapy” reads. It goes on to suggest “banking eggs.”

The list of side effects points out that “this is an ‘off-label’ use of this medication – it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.” Other potential side effects include high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and “increased risk of … yeast infections.”

Another UVA Health consent form lists potential side effects for puberty blockers. “Bone density may be compromised if puberty blockers are used on a long-term basis,” it reads. The form also notes that, like cross-sex hormone therapy, puberty blockers are also used off-label for a non-FDA approved purpose. But despite the potential for permanent infertility and other side effects, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) announced new guidelines last year, which recommend that children as young as 14 should be able to receive cross-sex hormone treatments before ditching the age limits altogether just hours later in a “correction.”