Experts say transgender men should be supported with breastfeeding if they choose to do so.
A new draft guideline from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG) says transgender men should be asked about their preferred breastfeeding practices prior to childbirth and those who have chosen to breastfeed must offered “lactation support in the same way as for women”.
This guide covers care for transgender and gender-diverse people, through childbirth, contraception, reproduction, gynecological procedures, and cancer treatment and care.
The document was released for consultation, offering a range of recommendations to help improve care.
It also said transgender and gender-diverse people should be counseled about maintaining fertility when considering sex determination surgery or hormone therapies.
It advises that transgender men who conceive during treatment with virilizing hormone therapy should stop taking the hormone “as soon as possible” while those who are planning to conceive should stop their therapy for three months. before conception.
And it urges healthcare workers to be aware that transgender and gender-diverse people often face barriers to accessing health care and to take steps to ensure they are easily accessible. care without being “questioned about gender or subject to a breach of confidentiality”.
New guidelines aim to break down barriers and improve the experience of transgender and gender diverse people
Use preferred pronouns
The document also states that “gender-diverse persons should receive a physical examination in accordance with national public health policies and clinical guidelines” and that they should be addressed by “title, name and their preferred pronouns”.
It follows the government’s women’s health strategy which says transgender men and those without female reproductive organs should always receive an invitation to screen so they can access health care programs. cervical and breast cancer care.
A barrier to care
RCOG President Dr. Edward Morris said transgender and gender-diverse people say they “often feel misjudged and misjudged by the health service”.
This has created a barrier to accessing critical care, he said.
“We, as healthcare professionals, have a role to play in making them feel heard and recognized,” he added.
Comments on the guidance, which is open for consultation through September 6, Asha Kasliwal, chair of the Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care, said there have been some cases where it was not “understood and proper assessment of the health care needs of all gender-diverse people”.
The guidelines hope to “seek ways to break down barriers and enhance the experience” of transgender and gender-diverse people accessing obstetric and gynecological services.
An ’emotional experience’
But Clare Ettinghausen, from the Human Embryology and Embryology Authority, said “a lot of work remains to be done” to ensure comprehensive healthcare.
“It’s important that a diverse group of voices will further inform this work so that, once complete, the guidance can be put into practice and start to make a difference,” she said.
“Treatment can be a very emotional experience, so we also recommend that anyone thinking about fertility treatment get the right support.”
