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Original poster

Fertility treatment for trans

36 replies

PerverseConverse · 31/12/2018 15:10

Just had a nosey at the BBC news page and come across this:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-46634595/should-the-nhs-pay-for-transgender-fertility-treatment

I'm not sure how I feel by my instinct is that no, infertility treatment should not be available to trans people. But then for the future, all those poor children who had been rendered infertile by their parents allowing doctors to give them hormones that caused the infertility, that throws a different light on it for me.
Then there's the whole children are a privilege not a right train of thought.

I suspect it is just more demands to access women's health care by entitled men in a world where access to infertility treatment is not available to every woman equally. Postcode lottery, age, BMI etc.

I'm sure that those who have knowingly and willingly agreed to treatment that affects fertility should then not be entitled to free treatment.

This stuff really messes with my head!

OP posts:
EmpressAdultHumanFemale · 31/12/2018 15:31

Do you mean fertility preservation ie freezing eggs/sperm? I can see the argument for offering that as part of the transition process.

But a child who goes from puberty blockers to cross sex hormones wouldn't have any viable eggs or sperm to freeze.

ErrolTheDragon · 31/12/2018 15:24

I agree with assassinated. If someone has been diagnosed and is being treated for dysphoria then it's analogous to other medical conditions.

I'm not sure how great the demand would be. Is there an age limit applied for sperm/egg storage in other circumstances? I fear that girls trying to escape from the reality of their female bodies might vehemently reject this option.

AssassinatedBeauty · 31/12/2018 15:24

If one half of a couple has gone through full surgical transition then they would be medically infertile though, or is that excluded?

Original poster
PerverseConverse · 31/12/2018 15:23

NHS England has said no according to the video.

OP posts:
Original poster
PerverseConverse · 31/12/2018 15:22

The video talks of freezing sperm from a male to female, and a non-binary person (male). I'm confused as to what they are transitioning to if they do t identify as male or female though Hmm
I've been away from the board for a week or so as my brain needed a rest!
Max in the video was sensible in saying that there are already many treatments and support on the nhs (they'd just had a double mastectomy) and they shouldn't get more.

The main point of this that pleases me is that there is recognition of transitioning causing infertility which up to now has been swept under the carpet.

OP posts:
Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 31/12/2018 15:22

I don't want to be too specific here, but trans people would not be eligible for NHS fertility treatment on the grounds of their sexuality/gender/GRA.

The guidance works a bit like this...

To be eligible for fertility treatment, one half of the couple have to have evidence of medical infertility.

Therefore the NHS don't discriminate against people who are gay / lesbian / trans or just single, but in practice wouldn't fund treatment because they are not medically infertile.

userschmoozer · 31/12/2018 15:21

Egg and sperm freezing are currently only offered to a small number of cancer patients on the NHS, everyone else has to pay.

scotsheather · 31/12/2018 15:21

I've nothing against it per se as long as its not at the expense of more serious illnesses. People are free to make their own choices but with the state of the NHS at present I hope they have their priorities in order.

AssassinatedBeauty · 31/12/2018 15:17

Do you mean fertility preservation ie freezing eggs/sperm? I can see the argument for offering that as part of the transition process. I can see that there will be an issue around spiralling costs for that given the massive increase in transgender individuals.

When it comes to later on and someone wanting IVF or similar to use their frozen eggs/sperm then I would expect that to be offered to people on the same basis as anyone else seeking fertility treatment on the NHS.

Funkyfunkybeat12 · 31/12/2018 15:15

I don’t think fertility treatment can or should be denied to people solely on the grounds that they are transgender, no. I also think the uptake would be pretty low in any event, so it’s hardly like it’s a problem of epidemic proportions.
The treatment, I presume, would be given to transmen, not transwomen. I don’t think they should be penalised because they took hormones as it is likely that they did this to alleviate symptoms of gender dysphoria.

VickyEadie · 31/12/2018 15:12

I can't say I'd support it for people who've taken drugs/had surgery in full knowledge it would negatively affect their fertility. That would be ridiculous.

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