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Turner syndrome may be diagnosed by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling during pregnancy.
Usually, fetuses with Turner syndrome can be identified by abnormal ultrasound findings ("i.e.", heart defect, kidney abnormality, cystic hygroma, ascites). In a study of 19 European registries, 67.2% of prenatally diagnosed cases of Turner Syndrome were detected by abnormalities on ultrasound. 69.1% of cases had one anomaly present, and 30.9% had two or more anomalies.
An increased risk of Turner syndrome may also be indicated by abnormal triple or quadruple maternal serum screen. The fetuses diagnosed through positive maternal serum screening are more often found to
have a mosaic karyotype than those diagnosed based on ultrasonographic abnormalities, and
conversely, those with mosaic karyotypes are less likely to have associated ultrasound abnormalities.
The prognosis for vaginal atresia is one that is complicated. There are variations in patients' anatomic findings as well as an absence in consistent surgical techniques which makes it difficult to give a prognosis for this condition. Along with other conditions that give rise to an abnormal perineum (i.e. ambiguous genitalia and other various abnormalities that range from cloaca to urogenital sinus), individuals with vaginal atresia often report reconstruction as an outcome of treatment. Due to this, it is difficult to compare outcomes between individuals with vaginal atresia.
The consequences to the girl with XX gonadal dysgenesis:
1. Her gonads cannot make estrogen, so her breasts will not develop and her uterus will not grow and menstruate until she is given estrogen. This is often given through the skin now.
2. Her gonads cannot make progesterone, so her menstrual periods will not be predictable until she is given a progestin, still usually as a pill.
3. Her gonads cannot produce eggs so she will not be able to conceive children naturally. A woman with a uterus but no ovaries may be able to become pregnant by implantation of another woman's fertilized egg (embryo transfer).
Turner syndrome can be diagnosed postnatally at any age. Often, it is diagnosed at birth due to heart problems, an unusually wide neck or swelling of the hands and feet. However, it is also common for it to go undiagnosed for several years, typically until the girl reaches the age of puberty/adolescence and she fails to develop properly (the changes associated with puberty do not occur). In childhood, a short stature can be indicative of Turner syndrome.
A test called a karyotype, also known as a chromosome analysis, analyzes the chromosomal composition of the individual. This is the test of choice to diagnose Turner syndrome.
Identification of 45,X/46,XY karyotype has significant clinical implications due to known effects on growth, hormonal balance, gonadal development and histology. 45,X/46,XY is diagnosed by examining the chromosomes in a blood sample.
The age of diagnosis varies depending on manifestations of disease prompting reason for cytogenetic testing. Many patients are diagnosed prenatally due to fetal factors (increased nuchal fold, or abnormal levels of serum), maternal age or abnormal ultrasounds, while others will be diagnosed postnatal due to external genital malformation. It is not uncommon for patients to be diagnosed later in life due to short stature or delayed puberty, or a combination of both.
45,X/46,XY mosaicism can be detected prenatally through amniocentesis however, it was determined that the proportion of 45,X cells in the amniotic fluid cannot predict any phenotypic outcomes, often making prenatal genetic counselling difficult.
In cases where the individual is being evaluated for ambiguous genitalia, such as a small phallus, hypospadias, or labioscrotal folds, exploratory surgery may be used to determine if male and/or female internal genitalia is present.
A standard karyotype can be completed to cytogenetically determine that an individual with a partial or complete male phenotype has a XX genotype.
FISH analysis determines the presence or absence of the SRY gene.
Localization of the SRY gene can by determined using fluorescent "in situ" hybridization.
Indicators include two testes which have not descended the inguinal canal, although this is seen in a minority of XX males, and the absence of Müllerian tissue.
Fertility options for girls and women with Rokitansky-Mayer-Küster-Hauser syndrome has a bit more information. Girls and women who are born without a complete vagina, but still have a regular sized uterus more than likely will be able to become pregnant and have a baby. However, if the female is born with a tiny uterus, or without a uterus, they will not be able to have a baby. As the ovaries may be normal in this case, the egg may be fertilized with a donor's or partner's sperm. In this case, surrogacy, would be an option where there will be a gestational carrier to carry the pregnancy for the couple. Adoption may also be an option for females with Rokitansky-Mayer-Küster-Hauser syndrome. Another possibility could be uterine transplants, however this a new and developing form of treatment. Fertility options are being researched daily, so there can always be a new method available.
Any pain associated with Rokitansky-Mayer-Küster-Hauser syndrome comes from menstruation related cramping and can be treated with several ways. Individuals with this syndrome may be born with a uterine remnant (tiny uterus), which can fill with become filled with blood in the pelvic cavity causing pain. A medical professional can assess the severity of having a uterine remnant within each patient to determine if removal of the uterus is necessary.
Unfortunately, the number of differentials to consider for PAIS is particularly large. Prompt diagnosis is particularly urgent when a child is born with ambiguous genitalia, as some causes are associated with potentially life-threatening adrenal crises. Determination of testosterone, testosterone precursors and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) at baseline and / or after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation can be used to exclude such defects in androgen biosynthesis.
Approximately one half of all 46,XY individuals born with ambiguous genitalia will not receive a definitive diagnosis. Androgen receptor (AR) gene mutations cannot be found in 27% to 72% of individuals with PAIS. As a result, genetic analysis can be used to confirm a diagnosis of PAIS, but it cannot be used to rule out PAIS. Evidence of abnormal androgen binding in a genital skin fibroblast study has long been the gold standard for the diagnosis of PAIS, even when an AR mutation is not present. However, some cases of PAIS, including AR-mutant-positive cases, will show normal androgen binding. A family history consistent with X-linked inheritance is more commonly found in AR-mutant-positive cases than AR-mutant-negative cases.
The use of dynamic endocrine tests is particularly helpful in isolating a diagnosis of PAIS. One such test is the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation test. If the gonads are testes, there will be an increase in the level of serum testosterone in response to the hCG, regardless of testicular descent. The magnitude of the testosterone increase can help differentiate between androgen resistance and gonadal dysgenesis, as does evidence of a uterus on ultrasound examination. Testicular function can also be assessed by measuring serum anti-Müllerian hormone levels, which in turn can further differentiate PAIS from gonadal dysgenesis and bilateral anorchia.
Another useful dynamic test involves measuring the response to exogenous steroids; individuals with AIS show a decreased response in serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) after a short term administration of anabolic steroids. Two studies indicate that measuring the response in SHBG after the administration of stanozolol could help to differentiate individuals with PAIS from those with other causes of ambiguous genitalia, although the response in individuals with predominantly male phenotypes overlaps somewhat with the response in normal males.
The decision of whether to raise an individual with PAIS as a boy or a girl may not be obvious; grades 3 and 4 in particular present with a phenotype that may be difficult to classify as primarily male or female, and some will be incapable of virilization at puberty. Parents of an affected newborn should seek immediate help at a center with an experienced multidisciplinary team, and should avoid gender assignment beforehand. Gender assignment should thereafter be expeditiously decided; current guidelines advise against waiting for the child to decide for his / herself. Key considerations involved in assigning gender include the appearance of the genitalia, the extent to which the child can virilize at puberty, surgical options and the postoperative sexual function of the genitalia, genitoplasty complexity, potential for fertility, and the projected gender identity of the child. The majority of individuals with PAIS are raised male.
Virilization capacity can be assessed by measuring the response to a trial of exogenous androgens; some studies have measured the growth of the phallus in response to exogenous testosterone or dihydrotestosterone, while others have measured the change in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in response to the artificial androgen stanozolol to assess androgen sensitivity. Some experts have cautioned that it remains to be proved that a good response to exogenous androgens in neonates is a good predictor of androgen response at puberty. If a mutation in the AR gene is found, it is important to determine whether the mutation is inherited or de novo (i.e. a somatic mutation); a certain amount of the wild-type androgen receptor will be present in cases of somatic mutation, which can induce virilization at puberty. A genital skin fibroblast study and a human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation test may also provide information helpful in the assessment of virilization capacity.
Psychosexual development is influenced by many factors, including the timing, amount, and type of androgen exposure, receptor functionality, and environment, and is thus difficult to predict. Gender identity begins to develop before 3 years of age, although the earliest age at which it can be reliably assessed has yet to be determined. Approximately 25% of individuals with PAIS are dissatisfied with their assigned gender, regardless of being raised as male or female. One study reports that 46,XY individuals born with micropenis and no hypospadias are better off being raised male, despite the success of some being raised female. Studies involving the more ambiguous phenotypic forms of PAIS are less decisive. Homosexuality with respect to assigned gender and atypical gender role behavior are known to occur more frequently in individual with PAIS, and may occur with or without gender dysphoria; neither should be interpreted as an indication of incorrect gender assignment. If an affected child does express feelings of gender dysphoria, the opportunity to explore such feelings with a psychologist experienced in treating intersex conditions should be accommodated. If feelings of gender dysphoria persist, gender reassignment should be initiated, possibly with the aid of a specialist in the field.
Because of the inability of the streak gonads to produce sex hormones (both estrogens and androgens), most of the secondary sex characteristics do not develop. This is especially true of estrogenic changes such as breast development, widening of the pelvis and hips, and menstrual periods. Because the adrenal glands can make limited amounts of androgens and are not affected by this syndrome, most of these girls will develop pubic hair, though it often remains sparse.
Evaluation of delayed puberty usually reveals the presence of pubic hair, but elevation of gonadotropins, indicating that the pituitary is providing the signal for puberty but the gonads are failing to respond. The next steps of the evaluation usually include checking a karyotype and imaging of the pelvis. The karyotype reveals XX chromosomes and the imaging demonstrates the presence of a uterus but no ovaries (the streak gonads are not usually seen by most imaging). At this point it is usually possible for a physician to make a diagnosis of XX gonadal dysgenesis.
Management of AIS is currently limited to symptomatic management; no method is currently available to correct the malfunctioning androgen receptor proteins produced by "AR" gene mutations. Areas of management include sex assignment, genitoplasty, gonadectomy in relation to tumor risk, hormone replacement therapy, genetic counseling, and psychological counseling.
The diagnosis of this syndrome can be made on clinical examination and perinatal autopsy.
Koenig and Spranger (1986) noted that eye lesions are apparently nonobligatory components of the syndrome. The diagnosis of Fraser syndrome should be entertained in patients with a combination of acrofacial and urogenital malformations with or without cryptophthalmos. Thomas et al. (1986) also emphasized the occurrence of the cryptophthalmos syndrome without cryptophthalmos and proposed diagnostic criteria for Fraser syndrome. Major criteria consisted of cryptophthalmos, syndactyly, abnormal genitalia, and positive family history. Minor criteria were congenital malformation of the nose, ears, or larynx, cleft lip and/or palate, skeletal defects, umbilical hernia, renal agenesis, and mental retardation. Diagnosis was based on the presence of at least 2 major and 1 minor criteria, or 1 major and 4 minor criteria.
Boyd et al. (1988) suggested that prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound examination of eyes, digits, and kidneys should detect the severe form of the syndrome. Serville et al. (1989) demonstrated the feasibility of ultrasonographic diagnosis of the Fraser syndrome at 18 weeks' gestation. They suggested that the diagnosis could be made if 2 of the following signs are present: obstructive uropathy, microphthalmia, syndactyly, and oligohydramnios. Schauer et al. (1990) made the diagnosis at 18.5 weeks' gestation on the basis of sonography. Both the female fetus and the phenotypically normal father had a chromosome anomaly: inv(9)(p11q21). An earlier born infant had Fraser syndrome and the same chromosome 9 inversion.
Van Haelst et al. (2007) provided a revision of the diagnostic criteria for Fraser syndrome according to Thomas et al. (1986) through the addition of airway tract and urinary tract anomalies to the major criteria and removal of mental retardation and clefting as criteria. Major criteria included syndactyly, cryptophthalmos spectrum, urinary tract abnormalities, ambiguous genitalia, laryngeal and tracheal anomalies, and positive family history. Minor criteria included anorectal defects, dysplastic ears, skull ossification defects, umbilical abnormalities, and nasal anomalies. Cleft lip and/or palate, cardiac malformations, musculoskeletal anomalies, and mental retardation were considered uncommon. Van Haelst et al. (2007) suggested that the diagnosis of Fraser syndrome can be made if either 3 major criteria, or 2 major and 2 minor criteria, or 1 major and 3 minor criteria are present in a patient.
About 10% of Klinefelter cases are found by prenatal diagnosis. The first clinical features may appear in early childhood or, more frequently, during puberty, such as lack of secondary sexual characteristics and aspermatogenesis. Despite the presence of small testes, only a quarter of the affected males are recognized as having Klinefelter syndrome at puberty. Another quarter receive their diagnosis in late adulthood. About 64% of affected individuals are never recognized. Often the diagnosis is made incidentally as a result of examinations and medical visits for reasons not linked to the condition.
The standard diagnostic method is the analysis of the chromosomes' karyotype on lymphocytes. In the past, the observation of the Barr body was common practice as well. To confirm mosaicism, it is also possible to analyze the karyotype using dermal fibroblasts or testicular tissue.
Other methods may be: research of high serum levels of gonadotropins (follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone), presence of azoospermia, determination of the sex chromatin, and prenatally via chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis. A 2002 literature review of elective abortion rates found that approximately 58% of pregnancies in the United States with a diagnosis of Klinefelter syndrome were terminated.
The symptoms of Klinefelter syndrome are often variable; therefore, a karyotype analysis should be ordered when small testes, infertility, gynecomastia, long legs/arms, developmental delay, speech/language deficits, learning disabilities/academic issues and/or behavioral issues are present in an individual. The differential diagnosis for the Klinefelter syndrome can include the following conditions: fragile X syndrome, Kallmann syndrome and Marfan syndrome. The cause of hypogonadism can be attributed to many other different medical conditions.
There have been some reports of individuals with Klinefelter syndrome who also have other chromosome abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD or PIGD) refers to genetic profiling of embryos prior to implantation (as a form of embryo profiling), and sometimes even of oocytes prior to fertilization. When used to screen for a specific genetic sequence, its main advantage is that it avoids selective pregnancy termination, as the method makes it highly likely that a selected embryo will be free of the condition under consideration.
In the UK, AIS appears on a list of serious genetic diseases that may be screened for via PGD. Some ethicists, clinicians, and intersex advocates have argued that screening embryos to specifically exclude intersex traits are based on social and cultural norms as opposed to medical necessity.
The vast majority of triple X women are never diagnosed, unless they undergo tests for other medical reasons later in life. Triple X can be diagnosed by a blood test which is able to look at a person’s chromosomes (karyotype). Abnormalities on the electroencephalography may be present.
Triple X syndrome can be diagnosed prenatally through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. In Denmark, between 1970 and 1984, 76% of the prenatally diagnosed fetuses with triple-X were aborted. Between 1985-1987, this figure dropped to 56%. With improved information, the number of abortions diminished. In the Netherlands, between 1991 and 2000, 33% (18/54) of the couples that were confronted with a prenatal diagnosis of 47, XXX elected to abort. If balanced information is provided to prospective parents, prenatally, the incidence of voluntary termination (abortion) is reduced.
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD or PIGD) is a technique used to identify genetically normal embryos and is useful for couples who have a family history of genetic disorders. This is an option for people choosing to procreate through IVF. PGD is considered difficult due to it being both time consuming and having success rates only comparable to routine IVF.
Diagnosis of 48, XXXY is usually done by a standard karyotype. A karyotype is a chromosomal analysis in which a full set of chromosomes can be seen for an individual. The presence of the additional 2 X chromosomes on the karyotype are indicative of XXXY syndrome.
Another way to diagnosis 48, XXXY is by chromosomal microarray showing the presence of extra X chromosomes. Chromosomal microarray (CMA) is used to detect extra or missing chromosomal segments or whole chromosomes. CMA uses microchip-based testing to analyze many pieces of DNA. Males with 48, XXXY are diagnosed anywhere from before birth to adulthood as a result of the range in the severity of symptoms. The age range at diagnosis is likely due to the fact that XXXY is a rare syndrome, and does not cause as extreme phenotypes as other variants of Klinefelter syndrome (such as XXXXY).
Diagnostic testing could also be done via blood samples. Elevated levels of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and low levels of testosterone can be indicative of this syndrome.
Blastomere biopsy is a technique in which blastomeres are removed from the zona pellucida. It is commonly used to detect aneuploidy. Genetic analysis is conducted once the procedure is complete. Additional studies are needed to assess the risk associated with the procedure.
In terms of the diagnosis of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase III deficiency the following should be taken into account:
- Delta(4)-A to T ratio (unusually increased)
- Thyroid dyshormonogenesis
- Genetic testing
Definitive diagnosis is made by suction biopsy of the distally narrowed segment. A histologic examination of the tissue would show a lack of ganglionic nerve cells. Diagnostic techniques involve anorectal manometry, barium enema, and rectal biopsy.
The suction rectal biopsy is considered the current international gold standard in the diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease.
Radiologic findings may also assist with diagnosis. Cineanography (fluoroscopy of contrast medium passing anorectal region) assists in determining the level of the affected intestines.
XX males are sterile due to low or no sperm content and there is currently no treatment to address this infertility. Genital ambiguities, while not necessary to treat for medical reasons, can be treated through the use of hormonal therapy, surgery, or both. Since XX male syndrome is variable in its presentation, the specifics of treatment varies widely as well. In some cases gonadal surgery can be performed to remove partial or whole female genitalia. This may be followed by plastic and reconstructive surgery to make the individual appear more externally male. Conversely, the individual may wish to become more feminine and feminizing genitoplasty can be performed to make the ambiguous genitalia appear more female. Hormonal therapy may also aid in making an individual appear more male or female.
A number of treatments have become available to create a functioning vagina, yet in the absence of a uterus currently no surgery is available to make pregnancy possible. Standard approaches use vaginal dilators and/or surgery to develop a functioning vagina to allow for penetrative sexual intercourse. A number of surgical approaches have been used. In the McIndoe procedure, a skin graft is applied to form an artificial vagina. After the surgery, dilators are still necessary to prevent vaginal stenosis. The Vecchietti procedure has been shown to result in a vagina that is comparable to a normal vagina in patients. In the Vecchietti procedure, a small plastic “olive” is threaded against the vaginal area, and the threads are drawn through the vaginal skin, up through the abdomen and through the navel using laparoscopic surgery. There the threads are attached to a traction device. The operation takes about 45 minutes. The traction device is then tightened daily so the olive is pulled inwards and stretches the vagina by approximately 1 cm per day, creating a vagina approximately 7 cm deep in 7 days, although it can be more than this. Another approach is the use of an autotransplant of a resected sigmoid colon using laparoscopic surgery; results are reported to be very good with the transplant becoming a functional vagina.
Uterine transplantation has been performed in a number of people with MRKH, but the surgery is still in the experimental stage. Since ovaries are present, people with this condition can have genetic children through IVF with embryo transfer to a gestational carrier. Some also choose to adopt. In October 2014 it was reported that a month earlier a 36-year-old Swedish woman became the first person with a transplanted uterus to give birth to a healthy baby. She was born without a uterus, but had functioning ovaries. She and the father went through IVF to produce 11 embryos, which were then frozen. Doctors at the University of Gothenburg then performed the uterus transplant, the donor being a 61-year-old family friend. One of the frozen embryos was implanted a year after the transplant, and the baby boy was born prematurely at 31 weeks after the mother developed pre-eclampsia.
Promising research include the use of laboratory-grown structures, which are less subject to the complications of non-vaginal tissue, and may be grown using the person's own cells as a culture source. The recent development of engineered vaginas using the patient's own cells has resulted in fully functioning vaginas capable of menstruation and orgasm in a number of patients showing promise of fully correcting this condition in some of the sufferers.
Conditions justifying newborn screening for any disorder include (1) a simple test with an acceptable sensitivity and specificity, (2) a dire consequence if not diagnosed early, (3) an effective treatment if diagnosed, and (4) a frequency in the population high enough to justify the expense. In the last decade more states and countries are adopting newborn screening for salt-wasting CAH due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency, which leads to death in the first month of life if not recognized.
The salt-wasting form of CAH has an incidence of 1 in 15,000 births and is potentially fatal within a month if untreated. Steroid replacement is a simple, effective treatment. However, the screening test itself is less than perfect. While the 17α-hydroxyprogesterone level is easy to measure and sensitive (rarely missing real cases), the test has a poorer specificity. Screening programs in the United States have reported that 99% of positive screens turn out to be false positives upon investigation of the infant. This is a higher rate of false positives than the screening tests for many other congenital metabolic diseases.
When a positive result is detected, the infant must be referred to a pediatric endocrinologist to confirm or disprove the diagnosis. Since most infants with salt-wasting CAH become critically ill by 2 weeks of age, the evaluation must be done rapidly despite the high false positive rate.
Levels of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and cortisol may play a role in screening.
A problem for people with penile agenesis is the absence of a urinary outlet. Before genital metamorphosis, the urethra runs down the anal wall, to be pulled away by the genital tubercle during male development. Without male development this does not occur. The urethra can be surgically redirected to the rim of the anus immediately after birth to enable urination and avoid consequent internal irritation from urea concentrate. In such cases, the perineum may be left devoid of any genitalia, male or female.
A working penis transplant on to an agenetic patient has never been successful. Only one major penis graft was successfully completed. This occurred in China and the patient shortly rejected it on psychological grounds. However a full female or agenetic to male transplant is not yet facilitated to fulfil full reproductive functions.
On March 18, 2013, it was announced that Andrew Wardle, a British man born without a penis, was going to receive a pioneering surgery to create a penis for him. The surgeons hope to "fold a large flap of skin from his arm — complete with its blood vessels and nerves — into a tube to graft onto his pubic area." If the surgery goes well, the odds of starting a family are very good.