The Emotional Experience of Pregnancy in a Transgender Man: A Case Report

The present study aimed to understand the lived experience of a transgender man who underwent pregnancy. The existing literature indicates that many professionals are not prepared to assist transgender individuals, often supporting a heteronormative view of sexuality and reproduction. This case report explored whether the experience of pregnancy impacted the gender identity and experience of masculinity in a transgender man. A clinical case study methodology was employed. Initially, it was hypothesized that pregnancy would neither compromise the participant's male identity nor weaken his experience as a transgender man. One transgender man expressed a desire to carry his genetic child. Our findings revealed that he began to enjoy the experience and was positively reconnected with his pregnant body by the sixth month of pregnancy. The psychic elaboration of the fantasy that "carrying a pregnancy is not a man's thing" made him reconsider the feelings of impotence and vulnerability that are traditionally attributed to the females. He had a satisfactory experience with the healthcare team. He actively assumed the role of "father-birthgiver," demonstrating that fathers are also capable of sensitively responding to a baby's emotional needs. Although it mobilized complex psychological processes, the pregnancy experience did not cause identity disruption. This study indicates that transgender men can be psychologically and emotionally available for a baby in a state of absolute dependence.