A Gender-Affirming Approach to Contraceptive Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Patients

Abstract

Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) reproductive health care is a field with an abundance of misinformation and a paucity of quality literature available for both health care professionals and their patients. Clinicians often receive limited education and training in this area, and TGD individuals face many barriers to reproductive health care, including the lack of gender-affirming, inclusive, and knowledgeable clinicians as well as concerns about gender biases. As such, TGD individuals often feel uncomfortable discussing their reproductive health with their health care professionals and are deterred from seeking the appropriate care they need. Contraceptive counseling is a key component of reproductive health care but is often neglected in discussions between TGD patients and their health care professionals. Clinicians must strive to meet the contraceptive health care needs and desires of TGD patients in a gender-affirming manner within a safe and accepting space. Here, we summarize the current reproductive health care landscape and provide contemporary perspectives on how to improve contraceptive care for TGD individuals.