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Differences of sex development in individuals with 46,XY karyotype.
No HPO annotations are available for this condition.
Age of onset: before birth, adulthood, at birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence.
Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) can be subdivided into three phenotypes: complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS), and mild androgen insensitivity syndrome (MAIS). Table 2. Classification of AIS Phenotypes
No formal diagnostic criteria for identifying AIS have as yet been published; large variance is seen at the molecular, biochemical, and morphologic levels due to the extreme variation in these characteristics with the various AIS phenotypes .
Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) should be suspected in an individual with the following clinical, family history, radiologic, and supportive laboratory findings.
Clinical features
No approved treatments are currently available for 46,XY disorder of sex development. The disease remains an area of unmet medical need.
To establish the extent of disease and the needs of an individual diagnosed with androgen insensitivity syndrome, a complete evaluation by specialists in disorders of sex development (DSDs), which can include specialists in endocrinology, urology, gynecology, clinical genetics, psychology, and psychiatry , is ideal.
Appropriate measures include the following:
Monitoring of postnatal development of genitalia that were ambiguous at birth for changes that could lead to reconsideration of the assigned sex
For individuals assigned a male sex, evaluation during puberty for signs of gynecomastia
2 clinical trials registered, 2 recruiting. Interventions under study include other interventions. Research is primarily sponsored by academic and government institutions.
127 publications have been identified in PubMed for 46,XY disorder of sex development. Research spans Case Report / Case Series (33%), Basic Science / Preclinical (28%), and Epidemiology / Natural History (14%).
Research Type | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
Patient case studies | 42 | 33% |
Data assembled from 5 of 12 sources · Last updated Oct 3, 2026, 8:13 PM UTC
European rare disease database
Genetic and Rare Diseases Info Center
Common questions about 46,XY disorder of sex development
Type | External Genitalia (Synonyms) | Findings |
|---|---|---|
CAIS | Female ("testicular feminization") | Absent OR rudimentary wolffian duct derivatives; Absence or presence of epididymides /or vas deferens; Inguinal, labial, or abdominal testes; Short blind-ending vagina; Scant OR absent pubic /OR axillary hair |
PAIS | Predominantly female ("incomplete AIS") | Inguinal OR labial testes; Clitoromegaly labial fusion; Distinct urethral vaginal openings OR aurogenital sinus Ambiguous |
MAIS | Male ("undervirilized male syndrome") | Impaired spermatogenesis /OR impaired pubertal virilization; Gynecomastia in puberty Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS). Individuals with CAIS have normal female external genitalia with absence of female internal genitalia. |
Source: GeneReviews — "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome"
Absence of extragenital abnormalities
Two nondysplastic testes
Absent or rudimentary mllerian structures (i.e., fallopian tubes, uterus, and cervix) and the presence of a short vagina
Undermasculinization of the external genitalia at birth
Impaired spermatogenesis and/or somatic virilization (some degree of impaired virilization at puberty)
Source: GeneReviews — "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome"
Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome (OMIM 277000) is diagnosed in phenotypic females who exhibit amenorrhea and have a partial or complete absence of the cervix, uterus, and vagina. Individuals with MRKH can be distinguished from those with CAIS by confirmation of a 46,XX karyotype . Hypospadias resulting from an AR pathogenic variant (and thus a part of the spectrum of PAIS) cannot be distinguished from hypospadias resulting from other (largely undefined) causes by the examination of the genitalia alone. AR variants associated with hypospadias are likely rare. MAIS caused by single-nucleotide variants of AR may be clinically indistinguishable from MAIS caused by expansion of the polymorphic CAG repeat in AR .
Source: GeneReviews — "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome"
Biomarker and diagnostic research for 46,XY disorder of sex development has been reported in the published literature.
A number of clinicians have sought to establish a consensus statement on management of DSD including AIS . A number of publications have subsequently discussed best management of these disorders. See (full text), (full text), (full text), (full text), and (full text). Assignment of sex of rearing. The issue of sex assignment in infancy when the child is being evaluated for ambiguous genitalia is paramount. It requires informed decision making by parents and health care personnel and should be resolved as early as possible, after a multidisciplinary evaluation has been completed.
Source: GeneReviews — "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome"
Search ClinicalTrials.gov in the US and EU Clinical Trials Register in Europe for access to information on clinical studies for a wide range of diseases and conditions. Note: There may not be clinical trials for this disorder.
Source: GeneReviews — "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome"
2 trials found
Source: GeneReviews — "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome"
Laboratory research | 35 | 28% |
Disease patterns and progression | 18 | 14% |
Research summaries | 14 | 11% |
Testing and diagnosis research | 8 | 6% |
Clinical study results | 7 | 6% |
Other research | 2 | 2% |
New treatment approaches | 1 | 1% |
Xiao B (2026). [PMID: 41537281](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41537281/). *Dis Model Mech*. [Basic Science / Preclinical]
Jiang Y (2026). [PMID: 41535247](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41535247/). *Cell Death Discov*. [Basic Science / Preclinical]
Priyadarshini S (2026). [PMID: 41555119](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41555119/). *Indian journal of pediatrics*. [Basic Science / Preclinical]
Bosmans J (2026). [PMID: 42156235](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42156235/). *Eur J Endocrinol*. [Epidemiology / Natural History]
Denkboy Ongen Y (2026). [PMID: 42082822](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42082822/). *Reprod Sci*. [Basic Science / Preclinical]
Jain V (2026). [PMID: 41796107](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41796107/). *Clinical endocrinology*. [Basic Science / Preclinical]
Correa Brito L (2026). [PMID: 41596467](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41596467/). *International journal of molecular sciences*. [Case Report / Case Series]
Li LL (2026). [PMID: 41834206](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41834206/). *Zhonghua er ke za zhi = Chinese journal of pediatrics*. [Epidemiology / Natural History]
Tsai MC (2026). [PMID: 41746858](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41746858/). *Sexual development : genetics, molecular biology, evolution, endocrinology, embryology, and pathology of sex determination and differentiation*. [Case Report / Case Series]
Yakine F (2026). [PMID: 42137683](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42137683/). *Cureus*. [Case Report / Case Series]
AI-curated news mentioning 46,XY disorder of sex development
Updated Jul 24, 2026
A recent study reviews a decade of prenatal care for disorders and differences of sex development, providing insights into management and outcomes. This analysis from an expert center highlights evolving practices and patient experiences.