What is CAIS mean?
The 2 types of AIS are called complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) and partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS). The genitals of a person with CAIS appear female.
What is CAIS on a female?
Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) is a genetic condition in which a child is genetically male, but develops female sex characteristics. CAIS is a disorder of sex development (DSD). When an egg cell is fertilized by a sperm cell, each parent contributes a sex chromosome.
Do people with CAIS have pubic hair?
Some affected individuals develop normal female sexual hair at puberty, and even more CAIS patients have some fine, silky pubic hair (Tanner 2), developing under the influence of factors other than AR action (Boehmer et al., 2001; Wisniewski et al., 2000).
What causes CAIS?
This process is triggered by androgens produced by the gonads, which in individuals with the XX karyotype had earlier become ovaries, but in XY individuals typically had become testicles due to the presence of the Y Chromosome.
Why are people with CAIS infertile?
People with this form of the condition have the external sex characteristics of females, but do not have a uterus and therefore do not menstruate and are unable to conceive a child (infertile). They are typically raised as females and have a female gender identity.
How is CAIS diagnosed?
Testing and diagnosis Partial androgen insensitivity may be diagnosed at birth because of the presence of male and female sexual traits. Tests used to confirm this condition include blood work to check hormone levels, genetic testing and pelvic ultrasound.
How common is CAIS syndrome?
Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome affects 2 to 5 per 100,000 people who are genetically male. Partial androgen insensitivity is thought to be at least as common as complete androgen insensitivity. Mild androgen insensitivity is much less common.