Since 2017, hundreds of girls ages 12 and under suffering from gender dysmorphia have undergone bilateral mastectomies, according to an analysis released this week by the Manhattan Institute.

The Breast removalsometimes called “top surgery,” aims to create a “more masculine-looking chest,” as stated on the Cleveland Clinic website.

Leor Sapir, PhD, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute whose research area includes pediatric gender medicine, reported that between 5,288 and 6,294 bilateral mastectomy were conducted between 2017 and 2023 on girls under the age of 18 – and 50 to 179 of these girls were just 12 years old or younger.

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This is based on the analysis of a “national all-payer database,” which also includes patients who had previously been diagnosed with gender identity disorder and whose treatment was covered by insurance, Sapir wrote in an article publishing the results.

The actual numbers could be higher, the Manhattan Institute claims, because the researchers did not include patients who paid for the procedure themselves without a Insurance claim.

“The out-of-pocket cost for breast surgery can be as low as $3,000, an amount many middle-class families can afford,” Sapir wrote.

Even if services were recorded under different codes for billing, they will not be displayed.

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Previous studies have suggested different figures.

A study conducted in October 2022 by the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and published in the JAMA Network found that there were only 489 top surgeries carried out on adolescents in 2019.

According to a data analysis, hundreds of girls ages 12 and younger with gender dysmorphia have undergone bilateral mastectomies since 2017. (iStock)

However, in August 2023, researchers at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the University of Southern California Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that 3,678 minors had undergone “gender reassignment surgery.”

This study was also published in JAMA.

Both of these studies used different and more limited data sources than the Manhattan Institute study, the company told Fox News Digital.

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As The 19th reported, the Biden administration spoke out against gender reassignment surgery for transgender minors for the first time in June.

“These are deeply personal decisions and we believe these surgeries should be limited to adults,” a White House spokesperson said in an email, according to the outlet.

“We continue to support gender-affirming care for minors who Continuity of careand respect the role of parents, families and physicians in these decisions.”

“In deep concern”

Psychologists have commented on the Consequences for mental health this type of procedure – including Dr. Jonathan Alpert, a Manhattan-based psychotherapist and author.

“Using a scalpel to treat a mental disorder is something that concerns me greatly, especially when it involves minors,” he told Fox News Digital.

Psychologists have commented on the mental health consequences of certain surgical procedures. (iStock)

Alpert said he had a problem with the phrase “confirmation of care and treatment.”

“What does it really mean to affirm?” he asked. “I have often seen people suffer greatly because they have turned to therapists who do just that – affirm.”

“Using a scalpel to treat a mental disorder is something that worries me greatly, especially when minors are involved.”

“They nod, agree with everything their patient says, and validate all of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors—even when they are clearly unhealthy.”

Although it is normal for Children and young people to explore their developing feelings about their gender identity, Alpert said, “they are pushed into gender reassignment treatments and surgeries rather than having their thoughts explored and challenged.”

While it is normal for children and teenagers to question their developing feelings about their gender identity, “they are pushed into gender reassignment treatments and surgeries rather than having their thoughts explored and challenged,” said one psychotherapist. (iStock)

“This unhealthy tendency can inadvertently cause therapy patients to fall into a vicious cycle in which the patient relies heavily on the therapist for comfort and continued approval, and the therapist, in turn, relies on the patient to continue therapy.”

Developmental problems must be taken into account, the doctor stressed, as minors are still in the process of physical and emotional development.

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“Surgery is not appropriate given a child’s ever-changing sense of identity,” Alpert said, warning of long-term psychological consequences.

“Depression, anxiety and Drug abuse are the main concerns,” he added.

“‘Waiting’ may be better than taking action, as there may well be regret when the surgery occurs, especially if gender identity continues to evolve,” said one doctor. (iStock)

It is also important to ensure that the minors and their parents fully understand the consequences of such a “drastic intervention,” Alpert said.

“‘Wait and see’ may be better than taking action, as surgery can lead to regret, particularly as gender identity evolves,” he warned.

Dr. Marc Siegel, chief medical analyst at Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Centersaid his view was in line with current policy in the UK – “which says that gender reassignment surgery, including mastectomies, should not be performed on minors.”

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“The risk is too great that (patients) will change their minds later,” he told Fox News Digital.

The doctor also warned of the potential long-term risk of Puberty-blocking medications on bones, fertility and mental health.

“Waiting and seeing may be better than taking action, as surgery may well lead to regret.”

“I think younger patients with gender identity disorder should first be treated with psychotherapy and spend years figuring out how they really feel – without politics or ideology being imposed on them,” Siegel added.

“I think there are far too many of these (procedures) being done in the United States, as the data shows.”

Viewpoints of medical groups

Earlier this month, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reaffirmed its policy supporting gender-affirming care for transgender youth. With the move, it plans to review new data and research conducted since the original policy was released in 2018.

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The American College of Pediatricians (ACP) and allied groups calling themselves “Doctors Protecting Children” have released a statement calling on established American medical associations like the AAP to abandon their support for gender-affirming care.

Hundreds of people participate in the “1 Million March for Children” rally organized by the parent group “Hands off Our Kids” in Queens Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 20, 2023. (Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

“As doctors, together with nurses, psychotherapists and behavioral therapists, other Health professionals“Scientists, researchers, and public health and policy professionals are seriously concerned about the physical and mental health impacts of current protocols for the care of children and adolescents in the United States who express discomfort with their biological sex,” the statement said.

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The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), for its part, issued the following statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday.

“The ASPS does not issue guidelines that endorse or oppose surgical intervention. The Society issues evidence-based clinical practice guidelines that provide recommendations for patient care based on the best available evidence in the scientific literature. To date, the ASPS has not issued clinical practice guidelines on gender reassignment surgery in adolescents or adults. We are currently in the process of evaluating the available evidence on gender reassignment surgery in minors, which, as we have said, is generally considered to be of low quality/low certainty.”

Fox News Digital has also reached out to the AAP and the American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society (AGOS) for comment.

Chris Pandolfo of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.