Transgender Clinic

Our clinic is designed to address all your medical concerns. Think of us as your health care home base. Through our multidisciplinary approach, we partner with physicians throughout the Emory Healthcare Network and beyond. We are your single point of contact to the rest of the health care system.

Our clinic is in:

Emory University Hospital Midtown
550 Peachtree St., NE
19th Floor, Suite 1950
Atlanta, GA 30308

Transgender individuals commonly experience a disconnect between their sex assigned at birth and their affirmed gender. This means those assigned female at birth identify as male and are considered transgender men. Individuals assigned male at birth who identify as female are considered transgender women.

Hormone therapy is often used to resolve this disconnect. It is a big part of the gender affirmation process for transgender men and women. Current guidelines exist to help endocrinologists — hormone specialists — select the right hormone therapy for transgender patients.

Gender-affirming hormone therapy is widely considered a necessary treatment for most transgender patients. Using it has physical and mental benefits for people undergoing the gender affirmation process.

During hormone therapy, transgender men use exogenous testosterone to overcome their more feminine features. Over time, the treatment prompts the development of more masculine characteristics, such as bulkier muscles, more body hair and a deeper voice.

Transgender women use exogenous estrogen during hormone therapy to promote the development of more feminine features. They also use anti-androgens to minimize their masculine characteristics.

There are several steps we recommend our transgender patients follow before beginning hormone therapy. We advise they:

• Confirm their gender identify and, if possible, discuss their transition with family and friends to gather support for their gender affirmation process
• Get assistance from a mental health provider who can help them express their gender identity and support any other mental health concerns that may develop during the gender affirmation process
• Undergo a medical evaluation for any health issues that may hamper the affirmation process or that may worsen due to the gender affirmation hormones
• Understand the costs associated with gender affirmation and what insurance coverage is available

While hormone therapy is safe, there are many health concerns that we monitor for our transgender patients.

It is safe to take testosterone under medical supervision. Still, there are health concerns that arise during gender affirmation therapy. If you begin testosterone therapy, we will monitor you for:

• Change in cholesterol
• Change in voice
• Enlargement of genital organs
• Increased abdominal fat and muscle mass
• Increased red blood cell count, a condition called polycythemia
• Infertility (If testosterone therapy reduces fertility, we recommend a consultation with a reproductive specialist)
• Skin changes (oiliness, acne, increased hair growth)

Taking estrogen and anti-androgen therapy is safe under medical supervision. Like testosterone therapy, it does produce other health concerns that we monitor. These include:

• Blood clots in the legs or lungs
• Changes in cholesterol
• Increased body weight, including fat mass and decreased muscle mass
• Infertility (if estrogen therapy reduces fertility, we recommend a consultation with a reproductive specialist)
• Risk of stroke

To make an appointment, please call 404-778-3280.