Ambiguous genitalia is a rare condition in which a baby’s external genitalia doesn’t appear to be clearly male or female, or doesn’t match the internal sex organs. In this condition, a baby’s genitals may not have formed properly or the baby may have characteristics of both sexes. This condition is usually obvious at or right after birth. There are many reasons why ambiguous genitalia may develop, including a lack or deficiency of male hormones in a genetic male fetus, exposure to male hormones during development of a genetic female, chromosomal abnormalities, and medication taken during pregnancy. Physicians with experience in this area will work with parents to create a plan of care that may include parental counseling and possible correction surgery to match the genitalia to the sex of the baby that is decided by the parents.
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