As we have already reported , the Minister of Health Anait Avanesyan signed an order on 3 November, 2022, by which the form of the history of the child’s illness was approved.

In addition to male and female, the 3rd option “not identified (before gender identification by genetic examination)” is also indicated in the appendix approved by this order. Taking into account the discussions on the topic, Iravaban.net sent a written request to the Ministry of Health to get an explanation as to why this change was made. In response to our written request, the Ministry of Health said:

“From 1 January, 2023, the Child’s Illness History Form, intended exclusively for health workers, entered into force.

Referring to the wording of the line “unspecified (until the determination of the sex by genetic examination)” regarding the sex of the child mentioned in point 21 of the history form, it should be noted that the term has a purely medical meaning, intended for newborns and children of breast height.

Unfortunately, there are a number of diagnoses in which it is not possible to determine the child’s gender at the time of birth based on the appearance of the external genitalia. A number of pathologies can lead to such a problem, for example, congenital dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, Turner’s syndrome, false hermaphroditism, congenital malformations, chromosomal aneuploidies, etc. In these cases, additional laboratory-instrumental examinations are required, including genetic research (karyotype determination).

Children with the mentioned medical problems are unique, but they exist, therefore, during the period of their stay in the hospital, receiving the necessary examinations and treatment, there should also be a note about their gender. Only after the gender becomes clear as a result of research, it is possible to fill in the “male” or “female” fields in the history.

The history of the child’s illness is completed by a doctor, and the latter have professional knowledge and are fully aware of the aforementioned information.

Moreover, in the “extract of the medical certificate of birth” valid in the USSR, there was also a note: “boy-1, girl-2, not identified -3”.

In the “Medical Certificate of Birth” approved by the Annex to Order No. 15-N of the RA Minister of Health of 26 June, 2009, it is mentioned as well: “boy-1, girl-2, not identified-3 _______”. The above-mentioned order was amended by Order No. 33-N of 14 June, 2017, where the “Medical Birth Certificate” approved by Appendix 1 was revised and the notes on the child’s gender were added.

Thus, the history of the child’s illness has been adjusted to the current legal acts based on the best interest of the child and the family.”