True hermaphroditism: a rational appraoch to diagnosis and treatment

Eight previously unreported cases of true hermaphroditism are presented, and their basic characteristics are described and discussed with regard to diagnosis and management. Two basic groups are identified: those diagnosed prior to establishment of gender role and those diagnosed at a later date. The latter group should benefit from therapy designed to enhance and maintain their sex of rearing, while the former group should be reconstructed according to functional considerations first and fertility considerations second. Diagnostic criteria are evaluated, and the value of the exploratory laparotomy is stressed.