Dear Professor Winston,
I am 44 years old. I have AIS (Androgen insensitivity syndrome). I’m XY, but totally feminine appearance. At 18 years old, I had my testicles removed. But I do not know if there is any tissue left… I have read in AISS.Org advances that you have made for people with my condition for the purpose of having biological children or maybe to get pregnant. At what point is it? I am very interested please.
I will be eternally grateful for your news.
I.
Dear I.
Thank you for your email. Regrettably, the research on making eggs or sperm from stem cells is still in its developmental stages. One thing that will be needed will be an assurance that fertilisation using such cells is not giving a risk of an abnormal or seriously damaged baby.
I think it is going to be some years before this will be reasonably safe. Possibly in the next decade this may be a clinical possibility.
I am sorry to give you disappointing news
Robert Winston