Does medical or surgical transitioning reduce rates of gender dysphoria?: A systematic review

Background Cross-sex hormones and transition surgery are widely utilized interventions for people experiencing gender dysphoria. However, there is surprisingly little clarity around the evidence for the efficacy of these therapies.Methods A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library was carried out. Inclusion criteria targeted peer-reviewed studies that assessed the effect of cross-sex hormones or transition surgery on gender dysphoria.Results Five studies met the inclusion criteria (N = 857). All five indicated association between medical or surgical intervention and reduction in gender dysphoria. However, there was a noticeable shortage of randomized controlled trials, control groups and extended follow-up periods. There was also a high degree of ambiguity around the clinical applicability of the results.Conclusion At present there is a paucity of high-quality evidence for the efficacy of cross-sex hormones and transition surgery for reducing gender dysphoria. More research is needed in this area before efficacy can be established.