English

Noun

disorder of sex development ‎(plural disorders of sex development)

1. A medical condition whereby the development of chromosomal or anatomical sex is in some way atypical; an intersex condition.
   • 2008, Harvey J. Makadon (Ed.), The Fenway Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health, p. 393:

     Recently, growing patient and parental concerns about the stigma associated with the term intersex, along with advances in treatment and diagnosis, have led to the adoption of the term disorders of sex development (DSD) in its place.

   • 2009, Konrad Janowski, Biopsychosocial Aspects of Health and Disease, Vol. 1, p. 69:

     There are also several states of disorders of sex development in males, namely gonadal dysgenesis or defects in androgen biosynthesis which cause insufficient synthesis of androgens and hypoandrogenisation in consequence.

   • 2015, Claire Ainsworth, ‘Sex redefined’, Nature, vol. 518, issue 7539:

     Parents of children with these kinds of conditions — known as intersex conditions, or differences or disorders of sex development (DSDs) — often face difficult decisions about whether to bring up their child as a boy or a girl.

Related terms

• intersex