Trans child surgery has risen 13 TIMES in last decade at some US hospitals trends now
Gender reassignment surgery among American children has risen more than ten-fold in the last decade, a study suggests.
In what is believed to be the largest study of its kind, researchers looked at the number of mastectomies carried out among under-18s at a major health system in California since 2013.
The operation involves surgically removing breast tissue and flattening the chest of biological girls who are trans, so they can feel more aligned with their gender identity.
Results showed a 13-fold increase in yearly procedures carried out by 2020, with girls as young as 12 receiving the irreversible operation. In 2013, fewer than five per 100,000 trans girls had the operation compared to a peak of almost 50 per 100,000 in 2019.
As gender-affirming care becomes more popular among children, patients who regret having the irreversible procedure have spoken out about their challenges since the operation, including fearing they will never be mothers.
The rate of children undergoing the procedure rose 13-fold since 2013 (pictured left). Some patients were as young as 12 (show top right). The vast majority had no regrets about the surgery, with only 2 children saying they wish they had not gone through with it
The researchers studied mastectomies between January 2013 and July 2020 for girls aged 12 to 17 at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health system, which covers 56 regions.
It is home to two specialist gender clinics, but patients can access gender care across its services.
Results found found a 13-fold increase in the number of surgeries across Kaiser's 27 hospitals in the region.
One of the hospitals in Oakland carried out 70 top surgeries in 2019 on children aged 13 to 18 — a large increase from five in 2013, said the New York Times.
The overall decrease from 2019 to 2020 may be due to a reduction in the number of surgeries taking place due to the pandemic.
Of the 209 patients who had the surgery, 10 were aged 12 or 13.
The median age of referral was 16 years.
The majority had a history of mental illness — around 60 per cent had anxiety and/or depression, and 11 per cent had history of an eating disorder.
The most common procedure was double incision, where a horizontal cut is made on each side of the chest to remove breast tissue. Nipples are also removed and resized.
Only two patients reported regret after the surgery, but neither underwent reversal surgery.
However, the median post-op follow was just over two years, and an increasing number of adults are coming forward expressing regret after having the surgery as a child.
Out of the 137 patients who were followed up more than a year after surgery, seven percent had at least one complication, including bad bruising, infection, and scars requiring steroid injections.
All were biological girls, 87 percent of who identified as male. Some 10 percent identified as nonbinary, and three percent identified as 'other'.
This map shows the proportion of children aged between 13 and 17 years old that identified as transgender by state. The darker colors indicate a higher proportion of youngsters. In New York and New Mexico, it is as high as three per cent
A Massachusetts-based detransitioner who goes by the name Shape Shifter transitioned from male to female, but encountered appalling medical issues. He has since detransitioned, identifying as a gay man with a feminine look. He has faced intimidation and harassment after publically criticizing transgender ideology. He was branded a lackey of Florida Gov. Ron
