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Do you want to find out how to better support trans men & non-binary people using your perinatal services?
Here’s a summary of @BSUH_maternity‘s Perinatal Care for Trans & Non-binary People guideline, available open access:
https://bit.ly/2NijrH5
Thread
Here’s a summary of @BSUH_maternity‘s Perinatal Care for Trans & Non-binary People guideline, available open access:
https://bit.ly/2NijrH5
Thread
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONSEnsure your care environments are appropriate & welcoming to trans men & non-binary people, as well as women.
Consider signage, toilets, changing rooms, imagery on posters, language in leaflets.
Avoid gendered greetings unless you know the gender/s of the individual/s you are speaking to (eg try “Hi everybody” instead of “Hi ladies”)
Reflect the language that individuals use to describe themselves & their bodies.
Practise trauma-informed care for everybody.
Reflect the language that individuals use to describe themselves & their bodies.
Practise trauma-informed care for everybody.
Ask everybody at booking about their pronouns & gender identity, don’t make assumptions based on presentation or single out specific individuals to check pronouns with.
Offer up your own pronouns too, just like giving your name when you introduce yourself.
Offer up your own pronouns too, just like giving your name when you introduce yourself.
FOR TRANS MEN & NON-BINARY PEOPLERemember that interacting with a gendered system can be distressing.
Be aware of likely previous negative healthcare experiences / trauma.
Be led the individual’s own narrative regarding their pregnancy journey.
Dysphoria may get better, or worse, during pregnancy.
Recognise barriers to accessing care & make appropriate accommodations.
Avoid exotification of trans & non-binary people.
Source your learning externally, don’t expect your service users to educate you.
Recognise barriers to accessing care & make appropriate accommodations.
Avoid exotification of trans & non-binary people.
Source your learning externally, don’t expect your service users to educate you.
Maximise continuity of carer.
Offer antenatal care at home, or quieter times if in clinic.
Offer OPTIONAL pronoun stickers for handheld notes, to remove burden to disclose pronouns to every professional individually. Some people may not want this, it is completely their choice.
Offer antenatal care at home, or quieter times if in clinic.
Offer OPTIONAL pronoun stickers for handheld notes, to remove burden to disclose pronouns to every professional individually. Some people may not want this, it is completely their choice.
If you make a mistake with pronouns/language, BRIEFLY apologise, correct yourself & move on.
Politely correct your colleagues if you hear them make a mistake too - don’t leave it to the individual to correct staff.
Politely correct your colleagues if you hear them make a mistake too - don’t leave it to the individual to correct staff.
Only refer to perinatal mental health or obstetrics if necessary (not just because of gender identity or previous testosterone use).
Support requests for Cesarean birth due to gender dysphoria.
Offer private rooms when in hospital.
Support requests for Cesarean birth due to gender dysphoria.
Offer private rooms when in hospital.
Include pronouns & language preferences in your handovers.
Consider catheter length & type of birth if someone has had bottom surgery.
Tailor chestfeeding support if someone has had top surgery (sandwich technique, signs of mastitis esp if nipple grafts, milk transfer).
Consider catheter length & type of birth if someone has had bottom surgery.
Tailor chestfeeding support if someone has had top surgery (sandwich technique, signs of mastitis esp if nipple grafts, milk transfer).
Offer lactation suppression if someone is definitely not planning to chestfeed.
Be aware PND may present differently.
If previously on testosterone, people may want to restart after birth ASAP.
Be aware PND may present differently.
If previously on testosterone, people may want to restart after birth ASAP.
BSUH CARE MODEL INCLUDES ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM GENDER INCLUSION MIDWIVESAll support is optional, people choose what they feel is appropriate for them & their pregnancy journey.
Supplement to regular midwifery care.
Emotional support by phone/text/email/visits.
Signposting to resources including peer support groups.
Priming/educating other staff ahead of appointments eg scans.
Advocacy/support at appointments.
Tour of hospital facilities.
1:1 personalised antenatal classes at home.
Priming/educating other staff ahead of appointments eg scans.
Advocacy/support at appointments.
Tour of hospital facilities.
1:1 personalised antenatal classes at home.
Support writing a personalised birth plan including their language preferences for how they refer to their own body & anatomy, so staff can use these terms too.
Support with planning how they would like to feed their baby.
Support with planning how they would like to feed their baby.
GENDER INCLUSION TEAMBSUH has a network of supportive professionals, knowledgeable about perinatal care for trans men & non-binary people, available if needed:
Obstetrician
Neonatologist
Endocrinologist
Sexual & reproductive health doctor
Infant feeding midwife
If you found this thread helpful, you’ll find even more useful information in the full Perinatal Care for Trans & Non-binary People guideline, available open access:
https://bit.ly/2NijrH5
https://bit.ly/2NijrH5
