When a person is born with a penis and vagina how does that happen in the womb?

This is called being intersex, and it's more common than most people realise.

When a baby is growing in the womb, genes and hormones guide how the body develops. Most of the time, this results in anatomy that's typically male or typically female. But sometimes the process works a bit differently, and a baby might be born with a combination of characteristics. For example, they might have a penis and a vagina, or genitals that don't look clearly male or female.

There are lots of reasons this can happen, and it's not caused by anything anyone did. It's just one of the many ways human bodies can naturally develop.

Being intersex is not a medical problem. Some intersex people find out at birth, some during puberty, and some not until adulthood. Intersex people might identify as male, female, non-binary, or something else entirely. That's their call.

When a person is born with both a penis and a vagina, or with body parts that are not clearly male or female, it is called being intersex.

While a baby is growing in the womb, genes and hormones guide how the body develops. Most of the time, this results in a body that is typically male or female. But sometimes the process works a bit differently, and the baby is born with a mix of characteristics.

This is not caused by anything anyone did. It is just one of the ways human bodies can naturally develop. It is also more common than most people think.

Being intersex is not a medical problem. Intersex people can identify as male, female, non-binary, or anything else.