ambiguous genitalia

Sometimes when a child is born, it's not always obvious what gender it is, because the genitals may not appear clearly male or female. This is called ambiguous genitalia. There are several common causes of ambiguous genitalia. Hermaphroditism is one, meaning the child has both ovarian and testicular tissues and both male and female internal reproductive organs. Another cause is gonadal dysgenesis, meaning the child has an underdeveloped gonad. There is treatment for ambiguous genitalia, but it depends on the specific type of disorder. It usually includes corrective surgery to remove or create reproductive organs and may include hormone replacement therapy.