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. 2016 Jan 1;1(1):41-44.
doi: 10.1089/trgh.2015.0010. eCollection 2016.

Preservation of Fertility Potential for Gender and Sex Diverse Individuals

Emilie K Johnson  1   2   3 , Courtney Finlayson  4   5
Affiliations

Preservation of Fertility Potential for Gender and Sex Diverse Individuals

Emilie K Johnson et al. Transgend Health. .

Abstract

Gender and sex diverse individuals-transgender individuals and those with disorders of sex development (DSD)-both face medical treatments that may impair biological fertility potential. Young DSD patients also often have abnormal gonadal development. Fertility preservation for these populations has historically been poorly understood and rarely addressed. Future fertility should be discussed with gender and sex diverse individuals, particularly given recent advances in fertility preservation technologies and evolving views of fertility potential. Key ethical issues include parental proxy decision-making and uncertainty regarding prepubertal fertility preservation technologies. Many opportunities exist for advancing fertility-related care and research for transgender and DSD patients.

Keywords: disorders of sex development; fertility preservation; gender dysphoria; transgender.

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Conflict of interest statement

No competing financial interests exist.

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