A hermaphrodite is someone who has both male and female sexual characteristics. At birth there’s often confusion whether it’s a boy or a girl. This happens in 1 out of every 4500 births.
The genitals are often a mixture of the penis and vulva.
The problem arises before birth, by chromosome abnormalities or hormone problems.
If the penis is rather well developed the problem only comes to attention when the ‘boy’ reaches puberty, when breast start to develop (not to be confused with gynaecomastia!).
There is a difference between ‘real’ and ‘pseudo’ hermaphrodites. ‘Real’ hermaphrodites have both a testicle and an ovary (or a combination of both, because they are not well developed). ‘Pseudo’ hermaphrodites have either balls or ovaries. Both the real and the pseudo hermaphrodites have female and male sexual characteristics on the outside.
Please note: Someone who has both male and female characteristics is not always hermaphrodite. When a male to female transsexual starts a sex change the person takes hormones to stimulate breast growth. For a while he/she will have both breasts and a penis.