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. 2017 Jul;61(1):120-123.
doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.01.022. Epub 2017 Mar 28.

Fertility Preservation for Transgender Adolescents

Diane Chen  1 , Lisa Simons  2 , Emilie K Johnson  3 , Barbara A Lockart  4 , Courtney Finlayson  5
Affiliations

Fertility Preservation for Transgender Adolescents

Diane Chen et al. J Adolesc Health. 2017 Jul.

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.

Keywords: Fertility; Fertility preservation; Gamete cryopreservation; Transgender adolescents; Transgender medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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