I am a medical student and we are currently learning about the endocrine and reproductive systems. We have come across the cases of testicular feminization and Klinefelter’s syndrome, etc., and I was wondering whether a person’s sex/gender is determined by their chromosomes or by external features.
According to Jewish law, the legal gender of a person is determined by his or her external genitalia. Therefore, according to the halakha a person with testicular feminization or Swyer’s syndrome (XY gonadal dysgenesis) is considered to be female.
Despite her chromosomal profile, a woman with Swyer’s syndrome can become pregnant and give birth through ovum donation, IVF and embryo transfer to the womb after appropriate endocrinological preparation/pre-treatment.
(Note: I did not understand your question about a person with Klinefelter’s syndrome as he has a Y chromosome in addition to male genitalia.)
שלום אני בגיל 24 לאחר לידה רביעית . יש לי אי ספיקת כליות על רקע רפלוקס מילדות והקראיאטינין נע סביב 2.5 – 2.8 . אני
ברצוני לקבל התייחסות הלכתית לשאלה שאני מתחבט בה יחד עם אשתי והיא מניעת הריון-תכנון משפחה לאחר הולדת ילד ראשון בס"ד – מהי עמדת ההלכה בעניין
