Summary

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco ran an online survey of 41 trans men who had become pregnant and given birth after transitioning. They asked about hormone use, fertility, pregnancy care and birth. About six in ten had taken testosterone before the pregnancy, most used their own eggs, half had a doctor for pregnancy care, and most gave birth in hospital. People described health workers who knew little about their situation and wished for better support. The authors concluded that trans men can and do get pregnant after transition and that services should adapt. It was one of the first studies of its kind and is often cited to show fertility can return after stopping testosterone. But it only asked people who did get pregnant, so it cannot say how often testosterone users stay fertile. All answers came from a small, self-selected online group.

Key findings

• 41 名自稱為跨性別男性、在過渡後懷孕並生產的人，於 2013 年 3 月至 12 月間完成了一份網路調查。
• 懷孕前，61%（41 人中的 25 人）曾使用睪固酮；參與並不要求使用過荷爾蒙。
• 他們受孕時平均 28 歲，88%（36 人）的懷孕使用的是當事人自己的卵子。
• 一半的人從醫師那裡得到孕期照護，78% 在醫院生產。
• 在書面回答中，人們表示醫療工作者對懷孕的跨性別男性的需求所知甚少，他們希望有資源來支持他們。
• 因為只調查確實受孕的人，這項研究顯示使用睪固酮後懷孕是可能的，但無法說明使用睪固酮後生育能力多常恢復。

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a cross-sectional study of transgender men who had been pregnant and delivered after transitioning from female-to-male gender to help guide practice and further investigation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We administered a web-based survey from March to December 2013 to inquire about demographics, hormone use, fertility, pregnancy experience, and birth outcomes. Participants were not required to have been on hormone therapy to be eligible. We used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative data.

RESULTS: Forty-one self-described transgender men completed the survey. Before pregnancy, 61% (n=25) had used testosterone. Mean age at conception was 28 years with a standard deviation of 6.8 years. Eighty-eight percent of oocytes (n=36) came from participants' own ovaries. Half of the participants received prenatal care from a physician and 78% delivered in a hospital. Qualitative themes included low levels of health care provider awareness and knowledge about the unique needs of pregnant transgender men as well as a desire for resources to support transgender men through their pregnancy.

CONCLUSION: Transgender men are achieving pregnancy after having socially, medically, or both transitioned. Themes from this study can be used to develop transgender-appropriate services and interventions that may improve the health and health care experiences of transgender men.

Conclusion

Transgender men are achieving pregnancy after having socially, medically, or both transitioned. Themes from this study can be used to develop transgender-appropriate services and interventions that may improve the health and health care experiences of transgender men.