Grant: Project Grant

Transgender women (individuals assigned male sex at birth with affirmed woman gender identity), gender-diverse and non-binary individuals may use estrogen in the form of gender-affirming hormone therapy to develop secondary sexual characteristics that align with their affirmed gender identity. Cisgender women (individuals assigned female sex at birth with affirmed woman gender identity) take estrogen in the form of contraception or menopausal hormone therapy. Some reports suggest that taking estrogen by mouth, rather than another way such as through the skin with a patch, is associated with greater kidney risk. Right now all guidelines for use of gender-affirming hormone therapy in transgender women is based on studies in cisgender women, but whether this is appropriate is unclear. The goal of the proposed research program is to investigate the association between how estrogen is taken (by mouth compared to patch) and kidney risk in transgender (gender identity not aligning with sex at birth) women. This project aims to identify the safest route of gender affirming estrogen therapy administration to prevent kidney disease, a condition that currently affects 1 in 10 Canadians.