Abortion in the Transgender Community

Abortion may not be top-of-mind when thinking about transgender fertility, but transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people who become pregnant may not always want to carry their pregnancy to term, or perhaps they may be unable to. In those situations, some people consider abortion, also called pregnancy termination. So what do we know about abortion and the trans community?  

A 2019 study surveyed nearly 1700 trans community members; 210 of the respondents reported being pregnant at least once. Of those, 67 reported at least one pregnancy ending in abortion. This means that abortion is an experience that many transgender and gender non-conforming people have chosen. 

There are multiple options for ending a pregnancy. According to the 2019 study, there were three primary methods utilized by participants. The most common method was surgical abortion (an out-patient process that occurs under general anesthetic or twilight sedation), with the second being medical (also known as “the abortion pill”). Some participants reported using herbal, traditional, or at-home remedies. However, most trans respondents stated that, given the choice, they would prefer to take oral medication to end their pregnancies, rather than a surgical procedure. 

When considering the high rates of medical trauma experienced by trans community members, it’s easy to understand why an at-home oral medication would be preferable to a clinical procedure. However, pregnancy-related care, including testing for pregnancy and oral abortion medication, is not readily accessible to many Americans. This means that pregnancies are discovered after the 10-week window needed for a medical procedure and surgical procedures are more frequently used.

Having an abortion is personal. It may feel like a spiritual decision for some people, while others may feel it is more of a medical decision. Some people agonize over the choice while others feel very resolute. Whether ending your pregnancy is an easy or hard decision for you, many other trans people have tread this path before. 

As for why people choose to have abortions, it varies! Most people who have abortions are already parents who don’t have the ability and/or desire to grow their family. Others aren’t ready to have children yet, but eventually do go on to build families of all sizes. Still others know they don’t want to have biological children or aren’t sure if parenthood is right for them. There is no wrong way to approach any part of your fertility journey, including pregnancy termination.

Here at Trans Fertility Co., we will continue to find ways to support you at every step along your journey. Stay tuned for even more resources on reproductive care and justice!