Sex assignment

Sex assignment is the discernment of an infant’s sex, typically made at birth based on an examination of the newborn’s external genitalia by a healthcare provider such as a midwife, nurse, or physician. In the vast majority of cases (99.95%), sex is assigned unambiguously at birth. However, in about 1 in 2000 births, the baby’s genitals may not clearly indicate male or female, necessitating additional diagnostic steps, and deferring sex assignment.