What is Klinefelter’s Syndrome?

Klinefelter’s Syndrome was named after an American physician, Harry Klinefelter who, in 1942, described the syndrome in males who were characterized by having a tendency to have breast development, considerably decreased sperm production cells and increased excretion of the pituitary glands.

How frequent does Klinefelter’s Syndrome occur?

Today it is said to be 1 in 600 births.  This figure has increased considerably over the past 40 years.

What is the cause of Klinefelter’s Syndrome?

Normal males have an X and a Y chromosome. Klinefelter’s Syndrome are XXY and in rare cases are XXXY and XXXXY. The X chromosome carries genes in terms of development of the testicles, sex hormone production and physical sex development in general and to a certain extent, height growth. Today, nothing is known as to the cause of an increased number of X chromosomes as found in Klinefelter’s Syndrome.