Testicular Feminization Syndrome is currently referred to as “Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome” or AIS and occurs when an individual who is a male genetically – having one Y and one X chromosome – is unaffected by hormones that are male androgens. Because of this, the individual will have some if not all of the physical traits of a woman, even when having the genetic makeup of a man.

AIS is due to various genetic defects occurring on the X chromosome which makes the human body not able to respond to the hormones which are responsible for the mail appearance.

This syndrome is divided into 2 main categories – complete AIS and incomplete AIS.

Complete androgen insensitivity stops the developing of the penis as well as other male body parts. The child will be born appearing to be a female. The complete form of this syndrome occurs in approximately 1 in every 20,000 births.

The sexual obscurity varies quite widely in individuals with partial AIS. Incomplete AIS may embrace other conditions such as Reifenstein syndrome which is also known as Lubs syndrome or Gilbert-Dreyfus syndrome and is linked with development of breast in men, failure of both or one testes to drop into the scrotum following birth as well as hypospadias, which is a condition where the urethra opening is on the underside instead of at the penis tip.

As well contained within the category of incomplete AIS is also infertile male syndrome that is often because of an androgen receptor disorder.