Healthcare Providers' Pregnancy Prevention Counseling of Trans and Non-Binary Assigned Female at Birth (TNB/AFAB) Patients

J Homosex. 2022 Jan 28;69(2):356-383. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2020.1819713. Epub 2020 Sep 22.

Abstract

Transgender and non-binary people assigned female at birth (TNB/AFAB) have unintended pregnancies, but there is a dearth of information about effective pregnancy prevention care for this population. This needs assessment study aimed at discerning pregnancy prevention care best practices involved interviews of 20 healthcare providers solicited for experience providing pregnancy counseling with this group. Findings were organized via the ecological model, revealing four layers of themes. 1) Social structural level themes related to the gender binary system and other forms of oppression (racism, sexism, heterosexism); 2) the systems level theme related to access to and barriers to care; 3) provider level themes included lack of formal education, need to provide trauma-informed care, and provider discomfort or assumptions; and 4) patient-level themes included the fact that patients do not usually raise issues related to contraception and that TNB/AFAB patients have unique contraception needs. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Keywords: Transgender; birth control; contraception; genderqueer; non-binary; pregnancy prevention; trans; trans masculine; trans men; unintended pregnancy.

MeSH terms

  • Counseling
  • Female
  • Health Personnel
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Needs Assessment
  • Pregnancy
  • Racism*
  • Transgender Persons*