Men, trans/masculine, and non-binary people’s experiences of pregnancy loss: an international qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Growing numbers of men, trans/masculine, and non-binary people are becoming gestational parents, yet very little is known about experiences of pregnancy loss among this diverse population. Methods: The study employed a cross sectional design. Interviews were undertaken with a convenience sample of 51 trans/masculine and non-binary people who had undertaken at least one pregnancy, living in either Australia, the United States, Canada, or the European Union (including the United Kingdom). Participants were recruited by posts on Facebook and Twitter, via researcher networks, and by community members. 16 (31.2%) of the participants had experienced a pregnancy loss and are the focus of this paper. Thematic analysis was used to analyse interview responses given by these 16 participants to a specific question asking about becoming pregnant and a follow up probe question about pregnancy loss. Results: Thematic analysis of interview responses given by the 16 participants led to the development of 10 themes: (1) pregnancy losses count as children, (2) minimizing pregnancy loss, (3) accounting for causes of pregnancy loss, (4) pregnancy loss as devastating, (5) pregnancy loss as having positive meaning, (6) fears arising from a pregnancy loss, (7) experiences of hospitals enacting inclusion, (8) lack of formal support offered, (9) lack of understanding from family, and (10) importance of friends. Conclusions: The paper concludes by outlining specific recommendations for clinical practice. These include the importance of focusing on the emotions attached to pregnancy loss, the need for targeted support services for men, trans/ masculine, and non-binary people who undertake a pregnancy (including for their partners), and the need for ongoing training for hospital staff so as to ensure the provision of trans-affirming medical care.

Men’s experiences and need for targeted support after termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly: A qualitative study

“…While qualitative research does not strive for generalisability (Braun & Clarke, 2013), it is important to note that the experiences of this small group of men may not be representative of all men who experience TOPFA. There is a need for future research to focus particularly on under‐represented populations including rural and remote men, culturally and linguistically diverse men, men who experience relationship breakdown following infant loss, men from low and middle‐income countries, and gay, trans/masculine and non‐binary people (McNeil et al, 2020; Riggs et al, 2020).…”

Australian fathers’ experiences of support following neonatal death: a need for better access to diverse support options

“…Future research is also required to build upon the few existing studies (e.g., [39]) that have sought to understand the support and bereavement care needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other gender or sexuality diverse (LGBTQIA+) parents who have experienced the death of a baby in the neonatal period. LGBTQIA+ parents may face additional challenges due to heteronormative values and the potential avoidance of formal peer supports due to fear of prejudice [40][41][42][43].…”

Transgender-parented families: A qualitative study of family processes

“…Brice and Miles had an abortion before they decided they were ready to have their youngest child. Like other transgender families, Brice and Miles specifically understood pregnancy losses as part of their family identity, in recognizing another child they had lost in utero as their middle child was one of a set of twins (Riggs, et al, 2020).…”