Terapia hormonal utilizada no processo transexualizador: revisão sistemática da literatura

Abstract

Hormone therapy used in the transexualization process: a systematic review of the literature. Introduction: The transsexual is the individual who presents discomfort with the natural anatomical sex and feels the need of corporal transformation for the sex in which it is identified. Hormone therapy is one of the mechanisms used for this purpose, composing one of the steps for the treatment for gender dysphoria. Objective: To discuss the hormonal therapy used in the transexualizer process, including diagnostic criteria; therapy; adverse effects; and quality of life of the patients. Methods: Systematic review of the literature by which the articles published in the last 25 years were selected using the following keywords: "gender change"; "Transsexuality"; "Sexual reassignment"; and "hormonal therapy" and that met the established inclusion criteria. Results / Discussion: The results showed that hormone therapy was safe although some adverse effects have been described. Regarding patients' mental health, studies have shown a high prevalence of mental illness and stress. We also discussed the evolution of the diagnostic classification by DSM and recent changes in the International Classification of Diseases; the clinical management of cross-hormonal therapy; and their influence on the mental health and quality of life of the trans people. Conclusions: There is a trend towards depathologizing transsexuality; there are adverse effects related to cross-hormonal therapy described in the literature; there is a need for data that discuss the quality of life of trans people.