Inclusive Care: Maternity

If I was assigned this birthing couple, I think I would have a lot of questions because I have never worked with a pregnant transgender male before. I also would feel worried since I have never taken care of a transgender birthing couple, and would want to provide the best care possible. My first priority just as the couple’s provider said would be to ensure I was respectful of their pregnancy and that all the other healthcare workers and staff were as well. It is one of my personal values to treat everyone with kindness and respect, so a birthing couple that others may be unfamiliar with should still be respected and treated with the highest level of care. I would make sure to do research on transgender male pregnancies if I was caring for this pregnant couple to fully understand how this pregnancy may differ from a typical female pregnancy. I would want to ensure the fetus was not affected by higher testosterone levels, and make sure the fetus is able to grow efficiently with lowered female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. As the nurse, I would want to consult with other members of the healthcare team to ensure the best care was delivered. I would want to consult with social work to ensure the patient’s comfort, and I would want to consult with a provider who specializes in transgender care to promote the fetus and parent’s health. 

Many different methods can be used to promote inclusivity in the healthcare setting. I would first ask my patient what we can do as the healthcare team to promote their comfort. I would also want to promote a non-biased approach to care, which would include educating myself and others who are unfamiliar with transgender care during pregnancy. I would want this birthing couple to feel completely safe and accepted and would address any disrespect or judgements from other members of the healthcare team immediately. I would also ensure I stated my pronouns for the patient and ask the birthing couple what their preferred pronouns are and what pronouns they prefer I use to address their baby. I feel that this is important because it ensures I address the birthing couple correctly, as well as their baby. 

Using female-specific language may be inappropriate in this setting because the patient may feel disrespected or unheard/seen regarding their care. Using neutral terms in this case would be more beneficial for this couple because we don’t want to assume anything about this patient’s pregnancy. This pregnancy is also different than a female pregnancy, so it is important that we address this patient as a transgender male and don’t misgender them as female. If the healthcare team were to use female-specific language with this patient, it would probably create both long and short-term distrust in healthcare workers and the healthcare system. Labor and birth are supposed to be an exciting time for a birthing couple, and by using female-specific language we may be robbing this couple from some of the joy that these moments should hold.