The prostate and healthcare...

[Muffin]

A while back I read something about how some mtf TSs have had a hard time with  ***medicare due to the prostate. Something along the lines of "we can't view you as female because you have a prostate".. or something like that.

But while thinking about this I thought of something I read about the Cowper's gland and how its actions are changed through HRT and surgery so that it becomes the Bartholin's gland. HRT predominately estrogen effects what it produces and surgery moves it to a new location, that is more or less the same as a natal female.

I have also read that this change also occurs with the prostate as there is a female organ that is very similar, the Skene's gland. So if it's accepted that the cowper's gland changes to the bartholin's gland then how come the prostate is not recognised as becoming the Skene's gland?

also worth noting:-

In 2002, female paraurethral glands, or Skene's glands, were officially renamed the female prostate by the Federative International Committee on Anatomical Terminology.

The changes that occur from hormones and surgery bring it more in line with what a natal female has and experiences so it seems strange to still consider it and to treat it as a male organ when it no longer is :S


***this is what I have heard for Australia I have no idea how it is for the rest of the world but I am interested!

[lilacwoman]

/quote]

Some Old Testament patriarch medic got a big hammer and chisel and on a mountain side carved out the words: Only MEN have prostates!'   
Those words are on page 2 of A Wannabe Doctor's Guide to Human Anatomy.   
Page 1 says Men is men and women is women.   

[rejennyrated]

Well after a thorough internal exam I have been told that to all intents that the doctor can tell I don't have a prostate. So it seems quite likely that either they do change under HRT, or that I never actually had one properly due to other reasons.

I guess I was really ItF rather than MtF 

[Muffin]

Well that seems strange, I'm not to sure of the size difference but did they consider looking for what could of been the Skene's gland instead? They both perform a similar function of providing fluid during sexual activity along with the cowper's/bartholin's gland so it seems strange that they couldn't determine an answer from those functions and signs? :S
Even if it had shrunk to a size smaller than the typical natal females you'd think it would still show up. Have you heard of cases of people being born without having one at all? Is that even possible? :S