Trans Fertility Resource Library
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“That Fat Man is Giving Birth: Gender Identity, Reproduction, and the Pregnant Body”
The journey to parenthood for transgender individuals is unique and can come with its own set of challenges. We want to share some nuggets of wisdom from a recent essay written by K Surkan; it delves into experiences of trans men who have navigated pregnancy, highlighting the importance of visibility, support, and breaking down traditional gender norms.
Lactation and Testosterone: What do we know?
A new case study looks at a transgender man who took testosterone and continued bodyfeeding his toddler.
Ovulation Prediction While on Testosterone
If you’re taking testosterone, will that impact the results of an ovulation prediction kit? How accurate are OPK’s anyway? Read this article to find out!
Baby Shower Ideas Everyone Can Enjoy
You’re having a baby! You and your community are ready to celebrate the upcoming arrival. What do you do? We’ll help you plan a party that is inclusive for your guests and offers you the gender euphoria you deserve.
What To Wear When You’re Trans and Pregnant
How we express ourselves, through clothing and hairstyle and accessories, matters to nearly everyone-- including and ESPECIALLY trans folks. We often pay a lot of attention to how we are presenting ourselves to the world, and pregnancy can throw a real wrench into that process. Frustratingly, gender-affirming pregnancy clothing and accessories are practically non-existent. This is hard, given that pregnancy is a time when dysphoria may creep up even more frequently than usual. What can you do? Here are our suggestions!
Personal Story: Mother Kellie and her son discuss his experience with fertility preservation
Here is an interview with Corinne, a transgender mother of three who realized her gender identity while serving in the military overseas. Watch as Corinne explains how she planned her medical transition with her and her wife’s family goals in mind. Corinne also talks about how her marriage evolved through her gender transition and how her children have adapted to the change.
Pregnancy Over 35
We are in a world where people are increasingly prioritizing their education and careers into their 20’s, 30’s, and beyond. For some, it’s simply a matter of not wanting to have children until later! It is no surprise, then, to find out that globally, the age of birth parents rises every year. In 2020, the average age a person gave birth for the first time was just under 30 years old.
Realities of Miscarriage
What happens when a pregnancy is lost? Miscarriage is already a tough subject in our culture, and when you’re a trans person going through it… things can be especially complicated. Read more for info on trans miscarriage.
Abortion in the Transgender Community
Roughly 12% of transgender men have terminated a pregnancy, which is just under the national average. Trans people may choose abortion for many different reasons, and have many options available as they make their decision. Read more about what resources are available for transgender people considering abortion.
Thank you to ... my midwife, for reassuring a pregnant dad
Being pregnant for the first time is daunting for anyone. Being pregnant for the first time and trans male was terrifying. We were both stepping into the unknown but you never made that – made me – feel like a problem.
Personal Story: Bran Fenner
In this video produced in partnership with FertilityIQ, Bran shares his pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum journey. He describes what it was like to change providers midway through his pregnancy, how he self-advocated with his medical team, why he hired a doula, and how being a Black transgender man impacted his entire process.
Trans Dads Tell Doctors: “You can be a man and have a baby”
One of the most persistent myths transgender men and nonbinary people hear from doctors is that testosterone has sterilized them, experts say. While testosterone generally blocks ovulation, trans men can get pregnant while taking it, particularly if they are not taking it regularly.
It’s just one example of the misinformation and discouragement transgender men say they face from the medical establishment when they decide to get pregnant — a problem advocates and experts blame on a lack of training and research around transgender health care, as well as doctors’ biases.
'My body is awesome': Trans man expecting first child
Like most anyone in their third trimester of pregnancy, Trystan Reese is dealing with cravings and heartburn. But unlike most first-time parents, Reese is a transgender man who is expecting a baby with his partner of seven years, Biff Chaplow. The Portland, Oregon, couple will welcome a son in July.
"As the pregnancy's progressed, it's like more and more obvious that it's not just a guy with a beer belly," Chaplow told CNN affiliate KATU.
Fertility care has opened more doors for trans people to have biological children
More trans people are publicly out and having families of their own, inspiring others to do the same. This increased visibility is likely to prompt fertility care providers to realize that this kind of care needs to become standard. The difficult part will be figuring out how to make that care accessible to everyone.
Fertility Practices, Coverage Lacking for Transgender People
Transgender people see themselves as aligned with cancer patients who also face infertility when undergoing treatment. Egg freezing was once considered experimental, but that changed in 2012 when it was reclassified as an elective procedure, opening the door for more use. That prompted both cancer patients and transgender people to think about how to prove to insurance companies that fertility preservation is part of medically necessary treatments that need coverage.
Trystan Reese Tells Trans Fertility Stories with HuffPost’s IVFML Podcast
If you want a casual, informative, and fun way to learn more about transgender fertility and parenting, check out this episode of the fertility podcast IVFML! Several transgender fertility stories are featured, including trans women, trans men, and their partners.
Going from “Daddy” to “Mommy”: What Will I Tell My Kids?
Although when coming out there may be an initial strain on the family, studies have shown that having a parent come out and transition can actually strengthen the relationships in a family over time. Living your authentic truth not only frees you from the constraints of a closeted life but it also encourages your children to be more open-minded about diversity and shows them what it means to be honest about who you are even in difficult circumstances.
Preparing for Pregnancy as a Non-Binary Person
Preparing for pregnancy as a non-binary person will take a bit of an extra effort, but many have found that if done in a thoughtful, mindful, sustainable way. In a way that's tailored to the individual identity and experience of the pregnant person, many have found that it can be an extra effort well beyond worth taking.
What Doesn’t Bend, Breaks: Resiliency Strategies for Trans Folks on Fertility Journeys
For trans people, advocating for oneself within medical systems is hard. Here’s a concrete tool to make things a little easier when you have to work with providers who miss the mark.
Trans Fertility: How Does Testosterone Affect Egg Health?
Countering many myths about egg health and testosterone, this 2019 Boston IVF study found that egg quality and quantity (in addition to other variables around pregnancy and egg harvesting) were the same between transgender men and cisgender women.