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Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025

Are you permanently unable to go through puberty after taking puberty blockers?

Matthew Yim, Oklahoma Watch
no

Puberty blockers only work while being taken; once they’re stopped, puberty resumes.

Puberty blockers suppress the production of sex hormones such as testosterone or estrogen. They are prescribed to youth diagnosed with gender dysphoria to pause the development of secondary sex characteristics such as facial hair growth or breast development.

Puberty blockers give youth time to decide whether to move on to hormone replacement therapy, which does carry some permanent effects such as voice deepening or breast development.

A review of studies on the effects of puberty blockers found that the treatment reduced suicide and improved mental health but carried some risk of decreased height and bone density.

At least 26 states restrict youth access to some form of gender-affirming care, including Oklahoma, which bans surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone replacement therapy for people under 18.

See a full discussion of this at Oklahoma Watch

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Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation that produces in-depth and investigative journalism as a public service for the benefit of all Oklahomans. Through investigative, fact-driven journalism, we dig deep and examine significant issues facing our state. Our work engages all Oklahomans, amplifies the discussion of important issues and leads to change. We help develop the journalists and journalism of the future.

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