What’s missing in T.N. for intersex babies? Genetic tests at government hospitals
Karyotyping and other genetic tests that need to be performed on children with intersex tests are not available at most government hospitals in T.N., forcing families to rely on expensive private labs. This needs to change to ensure better care for these babies, say experts
In Tamil Nadu, intersex infants and children face a lack of genetic testing infrastructure at government hospitals, hindering accurate diagnoses and appropriate management of variations in sex development (DSD). The Tamil Nadu government banned sex-reassignment surgeries for intersex infants in 2019, following a Madras High Court ruling, but has yet to establish adequate genetic testing facilities within its hospitals.
Karyotyping, a preliminary confirmatory test that examines the size, shape, and number of chromosomes, is essential for understanding intersex conditions, but most government hospitals in Tamil Nadu outsource this test to private labs due to a lack of in-house facilities. Additionally, next-generation sequencing (NGS) tests could provide further insights into intersex conditions.
The senior doctor from the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai mentioned that their hospital sees one to two cases of intersex children each month, but only one government hospital – the Institute of Child Health in Chennai – has a dedicated genetic department. The hospital relies on outsourced genetic tests, which can cost between ₹8,000 to ₹10,000, making them unaffordable for many families.
Experts argue that investing in government genetic testing infrastructure, including karyotyping and NGS facilities, would improve diagnostic outcomes, avoid unnecessary surgeries, and provide better counseling for families.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
