Man checks into hospital with stomach pain, discovers he is a woman
[comment] [/comment]
A man in China's Zhejiang province checked into hospital after experiencing stomach aches and blood in his urine - but left with a shocking diagnosis.
After a series of scans, doctors informed the man, named Chen, it was because he had a complete set of female reproductive organs. Genetic testing also showed he had pairs of X chromosomes - making him genetically female.
44-year-old Chen had begun menstruating.
The doctor at the Yongkang hospital told local media that the patient presented with his wife - to whom he married 10 years ago.
Since he arrived calling himself a male – dressed and groomed – the medical staff had no reason to think otherwise. That is, until they ran a CAT scan, and discovered a uterus and ovaries.
[comment] [/comment]
On closer inspection, Chen was found not to have an Adam's apple or normal male genitalia, despite his claim that he had sex with his wife.
Yahoo Taiwan and Zhejiang Online reported the unbelievable story last week. English-language site Shanghaiist picked up and translated the details yesterday.
Doctors diagnosed Chen, with congenital adrenal hyperplasia - a group of several mutations that can cause unusual sex hormone production.
One of the possible side-effects is the existence of ambiguous genitalia, as well as non-standard development of secondary sexual characteristics.
Chen had lived with the condition for 44 years without treatment, resulting in a tumour on his adrenal glands, which doctors removed.
One thing missing from local media reports is Chen's future intentions - but doctors say treatement would no longer help at his age.
