Why and when are puberty blockers prescribed

Sub: Sci

Sec: Health

Context:

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has alleged that his transgender child was (figuratively) “killed by the woke mind virus” after he was “tricked” into consenting to the use of “puberty blockers.

What are puberty blockers?

Puberty blockers are drugs that can delay the changes of puberty in transgender and gender-diverse teens.
During puberty, a child’s body goes through physical changes in the process of becoming an adult capable of sexual reproduction.
When a teen has gender dysphoria, a condition in which they are conflicted between the gender assigned at birth and the gender they want to assume, then the puberty blockers are prescribed to pause sex hormones.
Puberty blockers are administered in a dose given monthly, or every three months, or every six months.
The most common puberty blockers include: Goserelin (Zoladex) Histrelin (Supprelin LA) Leuprolide (Lupron Depot-Ped, Fensolvi)

How do these drugs work?

The medicines are called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, which stop the body from making sex hormones.
In people assigned male at birth, these slow the growth of facial and body hair, prevent voice deepening, and limit the growth of the penis, scrotum, and testicles.
In people assigned female at birth, the drugs limit or stop breast development, and stop menstruation.
Puberty blockers are also used in cases of precocious puberty, a condition in which a child’s body begins changing too soon, before the age of eight for girls and before the age of nine in boys
In India puberty blockers are prescribed mostly for precocious puberty in India.

What are side effects associated with Puberty blockers?

Side effects include insomnia, weight gain, muscle aches, fatigue, mood shifts, changes in breast tissue, and irregular periods or spotting in women.
They may also cause depression or self-harm tendencies.