Fertility Preservation for Transgender Adolescents

Diane Chen*, Lisa Simons, Emilie K. Johnson, Barbara A. Lockart, Courtney Finlayson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

185 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose To describe fertility preservation (FP) utilization by transgender adolescents within a pediatric gender clinic between July 2013 and July 2016. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted to abstract demographic and clinical information among adolescents initiating gender-affirming hormones, including patient age at initial FP consultation, birth-assigned sex, race/ethnicity, and outcome of FP consultation. Results In our sample of 105 transgender adolescents, a total of 13 (seven transgender men and six transgender women) between the age of 14.2 and 20.6 years were seen in formal consultation for FP before initiating hormones. Of these adolescents, four completed sperm cryopreservation and one completed oocyte cryopreservation. Conclusions Rates of FP utilization among transgender youth were low, which is consistent with a recently published report of FP utilization among transgender youth at another pediatric institution. Identified barriers to FP in our sample included cost, invasiveness of procedures, and desire not to delay medical transition.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)120-123
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Adolescent Health
Volume61
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2017

Funding

This work was supported in part by R01HD082554 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

Keywords

  • Fertility
  • Fertility preservation
  • Gamete cryopreservation
  • Transgender adolescents
  • Transgender medicine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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