A new study found transgender youth who received gender-affirming medical care as adolescents reported high levels of satisfaction and low levels of regret years later. The research, conducted at Princeton University, provided data on the experiences of youth who accessed puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones.

The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, surveyed 220 transgender youth and their parents who were part of an ongoing longitudinal cohort study. On average, participants had started puberty blockers 4.86 years prior and hormones 3.40 years prior to the survey. Results showed 97% of youth were continuing gender-affirming medical care at the time of the survey, with very high levels of satisfaction reported for both puberty blockers and hormones.

Only 4% of youth expressed clear regret about at least 1 treatment. Among those expressing regret, 4 had stopped care, 4 continued care, and 1 planned to stop care.

The researchers noted this cohort was unique in that most participants showed signs of transgender identity by age 4, socially transitioned at an average age of 6.7 years, and accessed medical interventions at younger ages than typical.

Limitations included the relatively short time since treatment for some participants and lack of information on satisfaction from 13% of eligible youth. The sample was also disproportionately white and from higher-income backgrounds.

The authors concluded these data on youth experiences may inform ongoing debates about access to gender-affirming care for minors. They emphasized the need for continued monitoring of long-term outcomes.

Conflict of interest disclosures can be found in the study.