Transgender patients can still become parents with help from transgender fertility testing and treatment
There’s a common misconception that adoption is the only family-building option for many transgender patients. Our Southern California fertility specialists want you to know that biological parenthood may still be possible for you. This is true regardless of whether you’re just starting to transition or you transitioned years ago. If you want to welcome a baby, our team recommends transgender fertility testing to determine what your family-building options are.
Hormone therapy does not always cause permanent infertility
In transwomen, prolonged estrogen exposure can damage the testes. In contrast, the effects of testosterone on the ovaries of transmen is less clear. However, if transgender patients still have reproductive organs like ovaries and testes, there is still a chance that they can conceive.
Transgender fertility testing with our Southern California fertility specialists can help determine whether it’s possible.
Transgender fertility testing varies depending on whether someone is a transman or a transwoman
Our goal with transgender patients is to learn more about the state of their fertility. The fertility tests vary depending on whether you are a transman or a transwoman. Please note that you may have to temporarily discontinue your hormone treatments to undergo fertility testing and treatments.
- Transwomen who still have testes will undergo a semen analysis as well as bloodwork to assess their levels of hormones like estrogen and testosterone.
- Transmen who still have their ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus may receive a transvaginal ultrasound, bloodwork to assess hormones, an in-office hysteroscopy and or a hysterosalpingogram (HSG).
Our Southern California fertility specialists will make treatment recommendations based on the results of transgender fertility testing. Each person is different, so your treatment plan will be unique. For example, if you’re a transman, you may be able to conceive naturally by temporarily stopping testosterone therapy. However, some patients may require more advanced fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF), donor eggs, donor sperm or gestational surrogacy.
If you’d like to learn more about welcoming a baby as a transgender patient, contact us for an appointment. Our team offers a welcoming and supportive environment for members of the LGBTQ community.
