Table 1.
Strategies to identify participants’ biological sex
| Method/Suggested Additions |
|---|
| Self-reported |
| • Current gender identification |
| • Choices to include cis- and trans- |
| • Sex assigned at birth |
| • Use of exogenous hormones or hormone blockers |
| Genetic testing |
| • Karyotyping for sex determination (29) |
| In addition to a self-reported questionnaire (above) |
| Hormonal testing |
| • Laboratory-based measures of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone (32) |
| In addition to a self-reported questionnaire (above) |
The most cost-effective and noninvasive approach includes a two-step approach to determine 1) current gender identification and 2) biological sex assigned at birth. Additional ways to further characterize sex include asking about the use of exogenous hormones or hormone antagonists, karyotyping sex chromosomes, and measuring reproductive hormone concentrations.