Turner syndrome is a chromosomal condition that affects development. Females typically have two X chromosomes, but in individuals with Turner syndrome, one copy of the X chromosome is missing or altered.
The most common feature of Turner syndrome is short stature, which becomes evident by about age 5. Reduced functioning of the ovaries, the female reproductive organs that produce egg cells (oocytes) and female sex hormones, is also very common. The ovaries develop normally at first, but egg cells usually die prematurely and most ovarian tissue breaks down before birth.
Many females with Turner syndrome do not undergo puberty unless they receive hormone therapy, and most are unable to become pregnant naturally. A small percentage of people with Turner syndrome retain normal ovarian function through young adulthood.
