Long term testosterone use potentially compromises fertility and negatively affects ovarian follicle health

One study in 2023 found that long-term testosterone exposure, as seen in transgender men undergoing gender-affirming therapy, could potentially compromise fertility by negatively affecting ovarian follicle growth, health, and DNA integrity.

In 2023, a study by Bailie et al¹. explored the effects of long-term testosterone exposure on ovarian follicles in transgender men receiving gender-affirming endocrine therapy. The research indicated that testosterone was linked with decreased follicle growth activation, poor follicle health, and increased DNA damage, suggesting possible impacts on fertility. Further, these negative effects were intensified following six days of in vitro culture. These findings may have crucial implications for reproductive health and fertility considerations among transgender men receiving testosterone as part of their gender-affirming therapy.

1. Bailie, E., Maidarti, M., Hawthorn, R., Jack, S., Watson, N., Telfer, E. E., & Anderson, R. A. (2023). The ovaries of transgender men indicate effects of high dose testosterone on the primordial and early growing follicle pool. Reproduction and Fertility, 4(2). [Link] ↩︎