Social Representations of pregnancy among trans men.
Danilo Martins Roque Pereira, Ednaldo Cavalcante de Araújo, Sheyla Costa de Oliveira and 5 others
PMID 39813438WHAT IT FOUND
Seven trans men described pregnancy as a lonely experience marked by fear of transphobic violence in healthcare.
They used binders and loose clothing to hide physical changes, and most preferred private care or cesarean sections to avoid public systems.
Key findings
01Participants reported using binders, tape, and loose clothing to hide pregnancy changes, viewing these strategies as essential for safety in public spaces.
02Fear of obstetric and transphobic violence led participants to prefer private healthcare settings and cesarean deliveries over public systems.
03Healthcare experiences were often characterized by misgendering, denial of social names, and a lack of provider knowledge regarding transmasculine bodies.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study had a very small sample size of seven participants. Participants were recruited from specific LGBT institutions in Brazil, which may not represent the broader trans population. The study was conducted during the pandemic, which may have influenced the reliance on online interviews and access to healthcare. The researcher was cisgender, which may have affected participant disclosure or comfort.
The easy way to misread this
Do not generalize these findings to all trans men or assume that all trans men prefer cesarean sections or private care. The preference for surgical birth and avoidance of public systems in this small group was driven by specific experiences of violence and fear, which are not universal outcomes for every trans patient.