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Fertility preservation: Difference between revisions
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{{Content warning|reproductive anatomy and surgery}} | {{Content warning|reproductive anatomy and surgery}} | ||
'''Fertility preservation''', in the context of the trans and nonbinary community, means any steps taken by individuals to medically [[transition]] but also retain the option of having [[children]] who are biologically related to them. There is often an assumption that all trans people are unable to have or do not want to have biological children, but this is untrue.<ref name="Rafferty2019">{{cite journal|last1=Rafferty|first1=Jason|title=Fertility Preservation Outcomes and Considerations in Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth|journal=Pediatrics|volume=144|issue=3|year=2019|pages=e20192000|issn=0031-4005|doi=10.1542/peds.2019-2000|url=https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/3/e20192000}}</ref> | '''Fertility preservation''', in the context of the trans and nonbinary community, means any steps taken by individuals to medically [[transition]] but also retain the option of having [[children]] who are biologically related to them. There is often an assumption that all trans people are unable to have or do not want to have biological children, but this is untrue.<ref name="Rafferty2019">{{cite journal|last1=Rafferty|first1=Jason|title=Fertility Preservation Outcomes and Considerations in Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth|journal=Pediatrics|volume=144|issue=3|year=2019|pages=e20192000|issn=0031-4005|doi=10.1542/peds.2019-2000|url=https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/3/e20192000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620200420/https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/3/e20192000|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> | ||
Some types of [[hormone therapy]] or [[surgery]] will reduce or eliminate fertility either reversibly or irreversibly. Physicians often do not inform their patients about this, especially younger patients, although discussing it is recommended to be always done.<ref name="Smith2019">{{cite journal|title=Preserving the Possibility of a Future Biological Family: State-Mandated Insurance Coverage of Fertility Preservation for Youth Patients When Primary Treatment Causes Sterility|last=Smith |first=Allison|year=2019|journal=Dukeminier Awards: Best Sexual Orientation Law Review Articles| volume=18|issue=1|pages=267-294}}</ref><ref name="Rafferty2019" /> | Some types of [[hormone therapy]] or [[surgery]] will reduce or eliminate fertility either reversibly or irreversibly. Physicians often do not inform their patients about this, especially younger patients, although discussing it is recommended to be always done.<ref name="Smith2019">{{cite journal|title=Preserving the Possibility of a Future Biological Family: State-Mandated Insurance Coverage of Fertility Preservation for Youth Patients When Primary Treatment Causes Sterility|last=Smith |first=Allison|year=2019|journal=Dukeminier Awards: Best Sexual Orientation Law Review Articles| volume=18|issue=1|pages=267-294}}</ref><ref name="Rafferty2019" /> | ||
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==Fertility preservation for people born with ovaries== | ==Fertility preservation for people born with ovaries== | ||
[[Masculinizing hormone therapy]] decreases ovulation and stops menstrual bleeding. However, people on masculinizing HRT may still become pregnant.<ref>{{cite journal | | [[Masculinizing hormone therapy]] decreases ovulation and stops menstrual bleeding. However, people on masculinizing HRT may still become pregnant.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Krempasky | first1=Chance | last2=Harris | first2=Miles | last3=Abern | first3=Lauren | last4=Grimstad | first4=Frances | year = 2020 | title = Contraception across the transmasculine spectrum | url = https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30955-X/fulltext | journal = The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology| volume = 222 | issue = 2| pages = 134–143 | doi = 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.07.043 | pmid = 31394072 }}</ref> | ||
In patients who have at least begun puberty and who still have their ovaries, oocytes (egg cells) can be cryopreserved for use at a later time. This process can take two or three weeks and requires multiple injections of synthetic hormones which induce oocyte production. During this process, the ovarian cycle is monitored by blood tests and ultrasounds, and eventually the mature oocytes are collected while the patient is sedated. This procedure can be done even if the patient has been on testosterone, but it requires quitting testosterone for a while, at least until menstruation resumes, which may cause [[dysphoria]].<ref name="BlakemoreQuinn2019">{{cite journal|last1=Blakemore|first1=Jennifer K.|last2=Quinn|first2=Gwendolyn P.|last3=Fino|first3=M. Elizabeth|title=A Discussion of Options, Outcomes, and Future Recommendations for Fertility Preservation for Transmasculine Individuals|journal=Urologic Clinics of North America|volume=46|issue=4|year=2019|pages=495–503|issn=00940143|doi=10.1016/j.ucl.2019.07.014}}</ref><ref name="Smith2019" /> | In patients who have at least begun puberty and who still have their ovaries, oocytes (egg cells) can be cryopreserved (frozen) for use at a later time. This process can take two or three weeks and requires multiple injections of synthetic hormones which induce oocyte production. During this process, the ovarian cycle is monitored by blood tests and ultrasounds, and eventually the mature oocytes are collected while the patient is sedated. This procedure can be done even if the patient has been on testosterone, but it requires quitting testosterone for a while, at least until menstruation resumes, which may cause [[dysphoria]].<ref name="BlakemoreQuinn2019">{{cite journal|last1=Blakemore|first1=Jennifer K.|last2=Quinn|first2=Gwendolyn P.|last3=Fino|first3=M. Elizabeth|title=A Discussion of Options, Outcomes, and Future Recommendations for Fertility Preservation for Transmasculine Individuals|journal=Urologic Clinics of North America|volume=46|issue=4|year=2019|pages=495–503|issn=00940143|doi=10.1016/j.ucl.2019.07.014}}</ref><ref name="Smith2019" /> | ||
Another option is to simply cryopreserve a sample of ovarian tissue. It can be done with patients of any age who have undergone or not undergone puberty, and it can be done at the same time as an [[oophorectomy]] (surgical removal of ovaries). However, this is considered experimental.<ref name="BlakemoreQuinn2019" /> | Another option is to simply cryopreserve (freeze) a sample of ovarian tissue. It can be done with patients of any age who have undergone or not undergone puberty, and it can be done at the same time as an [[oophorectomy]] (surgical removal of ovaries). However, this is considered experimental.<ref name="BlakemoreQuinn2019" /> A 2019 study, which was based on eight years of patient data, "found that transgender men who underwent egg freezing for fertility preservation had similar egg yields as cisgender women".<ref name="alto_Fert">{{Cite web |title=Fertility Options for Transgender, Gender-Queer, and Nonbinary (TGNB) Individuals |author= |work=alto.com |date=18 August 2021 |access-date=28 August 2021 |url= https://alto.com/blog/post/fertility-transgender-gender-queer-|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517184823/https://alto.com/blog/post/fertility-transgender-gender-queer- |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref> | ||
==Fertility preservation for people born with testicles== | ==Fertility preservation for people born with testicles== | ||
In patients who have at least begun puberty and who still have their testicles, sperm can be cryopreserved for use at a later time. The sperm can be collected manually or can be extracted by a doctor. The process only takes a day.<ref name="Smith2019" /> Sperm collection for preservation can also be done by a testicular biopsy when the patient undergoes [[orchiectomy]] (surgical removal of testicles).<ref name="Utah">{{Cite web |title=Fertility Preservation |author= |work=healthcare.utah.edu |date= |access-date=10 March 2021 |url= https://healthcare.utah.edu/transgender-health/fertility.php}}</ref> | In patients who have at least begun puberty and who still have their testicles, sperm can be cryopreserved for use at a later time. The sperm can be collected manually or can be extracted by a doctor. The process only takes a day.<ref name="Smith2019" /> Sperm collection for preservation can also be done by a testicular biopsy when the patient undergoes [[orchiectomy]] (surgical removal of testicles).<ref name="Utah">{{Cite web |title=Fertility Preservation |author= |work=healthcare.utah.edu |date= |access-date=10 March 2021 |url= https://healthcare.utah.edu/transgender-health/fertility.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314223607/https://healthcare.utah.edu/transgender-health/fertility.php|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> | ||
There is a difference between sperm collected from ejaculate and sperm collected directly from the testicles. Ejaculated sperm can be placed in someone's vagina (artificial insemination) and "swim up" to fertilize an egg. However, when sperm is collected directly from the testicles, it is unable to "swim", and thus can only be used via in vitro fertilization, which is more expensive and time-consuming than artificial insemination.<ref name="Utah" /> | There is a difference between sperm collected from ejaculate and sperm collected directly from the testicles. Ejaculated sperm can be placed in someone's vagina (artificial insemination) and "swim up" to fertilize an egg. However, when sperm is collected directly from the testicles, it is unable to "swim", and thus can only be used via in vitro fertilization, which is more expensive and time-consuming than artificial insemination.<ref name="Utah" /> | ||
One should be aware that many patients will have a zero sperm count after just one month of [[Hormone therapy#Feminizing hormone therapy|feminizing hormone therapy]], so it is often better to preserve sperm before starting HRT.<ref name="Utah" /> | |||
==Cost== | ==Cost== | ||
[[Health insurance|Insurance]] companies generally consider fertility preservation as "not medically necessary", and thus do not cover these procedures, even when covering other transition-related healthcare.<ref name="Smith2019" /> | [[Health insurance|Insurance]] companies generally consider fertility preservation as "not medically necessary", and thus do not cover these procedures, even when covering other transition-related healthcare.<ref name="Smith2019" /> | ||
Various organizations exist which can offer financial support for LGBTQ+ people in need of fertility procedures.<ref name="fami_LGBT">{{Cite web |title=LGBTQ+ Family Building Grants |author= |work=Family Equality |date= |access-date=28 August 2021 |url= https://www.familyequality.org/resources/lgbtq-family-building-grants/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226175151/https://www.familyequality.org/resources/lgbtq-family-building-grants/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||