# Long-Term Outcomes of Interventions for Reproductive Dysfunction

> **NIH NIH R01** · OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY STILLWATER · 2020 · $557,311

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Whether or not to surgically “correct” ambiguous genitalia in young children is an area of pediatric medicine
that is highly controversial. Suboptimal outcomes such as poor cosmesis and sexual dysfunction following
outdated surgical procedures have driven intense controversy in the medical community over how, or if,
surgery should be used in the treatment of young children with ambiguous genitalia. To help resolve this
debate, a prospective study of long-term outcomes of current surgical procedures, including complication rates
associated with these procedures, is needed among individuals who receive masculinizing or feminizing
surgery during early childhood. Additionally, studies of parents who decide to proceed, or not, with such
surgeries for their young child are necessary to understand how these controversial decisions impact parents’
reactions to their child. Finally, better understanding of cognitive, behavioral, and social development in
children born with ambiguous genitalia, including identification of novel markers for predicting gender
development, is needed. The overall goal of this proposal is to assess the outcomes of modern surgical
techniques with a consideration of the psychological outcomes of affected children and their parents. This
information is crucial for physicians to provide guidance to parents regarding the optimal approach for the
management of ambiguous genitalia in young children, including the possibility that no surgery is best. The
interdisciplinary group of clinicians and researchers included in the proposed studies span the fields of
psychology, statistics, pediatric endocrinology, and pediatric urology. The collective experience of our group
optimizes our ability to translate findings from the proposed studies to a clinical setting in a timely manner.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9902189
- **Project number:** 5R01HD074579-10
- **Recipient organization:** OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY STILLWATER
- **Principal Investigator:** Larry L. Mullins
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $557,311
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-07-05 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9902189

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9902189, Long-Term Outcomes of Interventions for Reproductive Dysfunction (5R01HD074579-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9902189. Licensed CC0.

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