Parenting desire among men who have sex with men in a heteronormative context

The desire for parenthood in the LGBT+ community is still a matter of critical debate worldwide.

We aimed to (i) analyse the prevalence of desire for fatherhood in a cohort of white-European sexually active men who have sex with men and (ii) explore the characteristics of men who have sex with men with respect to those without the desire for fatherhood.

An anonymous self-compiled survey with 23 closed socio-demographic general questions, one section aimed to assess medical history and recreational habits and two sections devoted to investigate genital and sexual health, was provided to each participant. Likewise, all participants were invited to complete a number of questionnaires, including the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire and the Beck Inventory for Depression.

Of 191 men who have sex with men white-European participants who eventually completed the survey, 112 (58.6%) clearly expressed their desire for fatherhood. Of all, the wish to become a parent was strong in 99 (51.8%) individuals and higher in younger participants (35 [28-46] vs. 43 [32-50] years, p = 0.01). No other significant differences in terms of educational level and relational status were identified between the two groups. Of all, the wish to become a parent was strong in 99 (51.8%) individuals and higher in younger participants (35 [28-46] vs. 43 [32-50] years, p = 0.01).

Current preliminary findings highlight that more than one in two men who have sex with men has a desire for fatherhood, with almost 81% of all having a high desire for fathering, which is clearly more intense in younger men.