Health Care for Transgender Men: What Is Missing in OB/GYN Care?

Transgender men (TGM) are those who identify their sex as male but were assigned female at birth who face marginalization in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) practices. The following commentary highlights recommendations for creating inclusive OB/GYN spaces and improving outcomes for TGM patients.

The commentary is written in a call to action style using previously published literature about treatment and guidelines for care of transgender patients to highlight recommendations for creating inclusive OB/GYN spaces for TGM. The GLMA Handbook on LGBT Health and The UCSF Transgender Care Web site were among the resources used to gather information on transgender patient inclusivity in health care settings.

Supporting literature was collected that reinstates the need to include framing questions specific to the TGM population during history-taking, creating inclusive clinic settings, and enhancing health care provider training in TGM care.

It is important for TGM who have a vagina, cervix, and/or uterus to have routine gynecological screenings. However, the lack of gender inclusive care in OB/GYN clinics presents a barrier for many TGM and the recommendations emphasized in this commentary will increase sensitivity for the TGM patient population and decrease their marginalization in health care settings.