Fertility preservation options for transgender and nonbinary individuals

Area of Science:

• Reproductive medicine
• Gender-affirming healthcare

Background:

• Transgender and nonbinary individuals face significant barriers in accessing healthcare.
• Gender-affirming therapies (hormone therapy, surgery) can impact future fertility.
• Existing fertility preservation services are often inadequate for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical need for improved fertility preservation counseling and services for transgender and nonbinary individuals.
• To underscore the complexity of fertility preservation in this demographic.
• To identify areas for future research and improved care frameworks.

Main Methods:

• Review of current challenges in fertility preservation for transgender and nonbinary patients.
• Analysis of factors influencing fertility preservation method selection (pubertal status, therapy type).
• Discussion of the necessity for a multidisciplinary approach.

Main Results:

• Fertility preservation options are contingent on individual patient factors and treatment pathways.
• Current service delivery models are often insufficient, requiring enhancement.
• A comprehensive, integrated care framework is lacking.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced fertility preservation counseling and services are essential for transgender and nonbinary individuals.
• Further research is needed to identify stakeholders and optimal care delivery models.
• Optimizing fertility preservation offers significant opportunities to improve care for this underserved population.