10-Month-Old Baby Girl In Sweden Develops "Micropenis" After Lying On Father's Bare Chest

In a bizarre and concerning case, a 10-month-old baby girl in Sweden developed a "micropenis" after prolonged skin contact with her father, who had applied testosterone gel. According to the New York Post, the unusual medical incident is drawing widespread attention both online and within the healthcare community. The case highlights the potential risks of accidental hormone exposure through skin-to-skin contact. A Swedish doctor has also raised an alarm, revealing that she has encountered at least half a dozen similar cases involving children. 

According to the Post, the girl's condition, though sensationalised, isn't a true "micropenis" - a term reserved for underdeveloped male genitalia. In the girl's case, she developed masculinised genital changes after she was repeatedly placed on her father's bare chest - the same area where he had applied testosterone gel. 

This medication is commonly prescribed to men with hypogonadism, a condition in which the body doesn't produce enough sex hormones. This condition can affect men of any age, but studies suggest that roughly 40% of those over 45 and half of men in their 80s have clinically low testosterone. This medicine can lead to a range of symptoms, including low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, mood swings and muscle loss - issues that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) can help treat. 

Unaware of these risks, the father's regular skin-to-skin contact with the baby girl inadvertently exposed his daughter to high levels of testosterone, triggering the dramatic changes in her body. 

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As soon as her parents noticed her clitoris had begun to elongate, resembling a small penis, they rushed to the hospital. Blood tests quickly identified the source. Fortunately, her genitals began to shrink once her father stopped using the gel and the accidental exposure ceased.

"I don't think people always understand how potent these treatments are," said Professor Jovanna Dahlgren, a pediatric endocrinologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, per the Post. 

"The parents become completely desperate when they understand what has happened," she added.

The professor also noted that this is not the first time this has happened. She said that in one case, a 10-year-old boy developed breasts after coming into contact with estrogen cream his mother had been using.