Fertility considerations in transgender patients

Abstract

Purpose of review: An update on the latest advances in fertility preservation for transgender women, with an emphasis on the attitudes, access, and techniques.

Recent findings: With recent warming in perception toward transgendered individuals, fertility preservation services are becoming increasingly available. Although new multidisciplinary transgender clinics are appearing in North America, a 2018 report shows a referral rate for fertility preservation of only 13.5%. Despite interest in child rearing, uptake of fertility preservation is still low as patients are transitioning at increasingly younger ages. Sperm cryopreservation, ideally prior to hormonal therapy, continues to be the mainstay of fertility preservation in transwomen. It is used in conjunction with other assisted reproductive technologies such as intrauterine insemination or in-vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection depending on the quantity of sperm available. Recent research reporting successful autologous grafting of cryopreserved prepubertal testis leading to sperm production and offspring in macaques show great promise in the context of fertility preservation in prepubertal patients.

Summary: Despite the increasing accessibility of fertility preservation, referral rates and usage continue to be low, suggesting that barriers are still in place for these individuals. Clinicians must continue to counsel patients regarding the process of fertility preservation and advocate for reduction of financial and infrastructural barriers.