[Fertility preservation for trans men: Barriers and motivations]

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Gender Affirming Care
• Bioethics

Background:

• Oocyte preservation is a vital fertility option for transgender men (female-to-X individuals).
• Despite available information, uptake remains low, necessitating investigation into underlying reasons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify motivations and barriers for oocyte preservation in trans men undergoing gender transition.
• To inform improvements in fertility care pathways for this population.

Main Methods:

• Observational, cross-sectional study (TRANSPF) at Lille University Hospital (May 2018-May 2024).
• Online questionnaire assessing demographics, care pathways, knowledge, motivations, and barriers.
• Descriptive statistical analysis of data from 67 participants.

Main Results:

• Only 8.5% of trans men underwent oocyte cryopreservation, below the national average.
• Key motivations included potential use of the ROPA method (45%).
• Significant barriers: interrupting androgen therapy (45%), transvaginal retrieval (46%), protocol burden (37%), and fear of poor medical reception (31%).

Conclusions:

• Enhanced, inclusive information on fertility preservation is essential for trans men.
• Addressing psychological, technical, and legal barriers is critical within transition care.
• Improved healthcare provider training and bioethical discussions are needed to enhance access to fertility options.