Guys have babies
Can Men Get Pregnant? Outcomes for Transgender and Cisgender Men
Is it possible?
Yes, it’s possible for men to become pregnant and give birth to children of their own. In fact, it’s probably a lot more common than you might think. In order to explain, we’ll need to break down some common misconceptions about how we understand the term “man.” Not all people who were assigned male at birth (AMAB) identify as men. Those who do are “cisgender” men. Conversely, some people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) identify as men. These folks may be “transgender” men or transmasculine people.
Transmasculine is used to describe an AFAB individual who identifies or presents toward the masculine side of the spectrum. This person may identify as a man or any number of other gender identities including nonbinary, genderqueer, or agender.
Many AFAB folks who identify as men or who don’t identify as women have the reproductive organs necessary to carry a child. There are also emerging technologies that may make it possible for AMAB individuals to carry a child.
Your reproductive organs and hormones may change what pregnancy looks like, but your gender isn’t — and shouldn’t be — considered a limiting factor.
If you have a uterus and ovaries
Some people who have a uterus and ovaries, are not on testosterone, and identify as men or as not as women may wish to become pregnant. Unless you’ve taken testosterone, the process of pregnancy is similar to that of a cisgender woman. Here, we’ll focus on the process of carrying a child and giving birth for AFAB folks who have a uterus and ovaries, and are,or have been, on testosterone.
Conception
For those who opt to take testosterone, menses typically stop within six months of starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In order to conceive, a person will need to stop the use of testosterone.
Still, it isn’t entirely unheard of for people who are on testosterone to become pregnant from having unprotected vaginal sex. Due to a lack of research and variations in individual physiology, it’s still not entirely clear how effective testosterone use is as a method of pregnancy prevention. Kaci, a 30 year-old trans man who has undergone two pregnancies, says that many doctors falsely tell people starting testosterone that it will make them infertile. “While there’s very little research that’s been conducted on gender non-conforming pregnancies or the effects of HRT on fertility, [the] data [that] is available happens to be overwhelmingly positive.” Take the results of one 2013 report, for example. The researchers surveyed 41 transgender men and transmasculine folks who had stopped taking testosterone and became pregnant. They found that most respondents were able to conceive a child within six months of stopping testosterone. Five of these people conceived without having first resumed menstruation.
Conception can happen in many ways, including sexual intercourse and through the use of assisted reproductive technologies (AST). AST may involve using sperm or eggs from a partner or donor.
Pregnancy
Researchers in the aforementioned 2013 survey didn’t find any significant differences in pregnancy between those who did and didn’t use testosterone. Some folks did report hypertension, preterm labor, placental interruption, and anemia, but these numbers were consistent with those of cisgender women. Interestingly, none of those respondents who reported anemia had ever taken testosterone. Anemia is common among cisgender women during pregnancy. However, pregnancy can be a challenging time emotionally.
Transgender men and transmasculine folks who become pregnant often experience scrutiny from their communities.
As Kaci points out, “There’s nothing inherently feminine or womanly about conception, pregnancy, or delivery.
No body part, nor bodily function, is inherently gendered. If your body can gestate a fetus, and that’s something you happen to want — then it’s for you, too.” People who experience gender dysphoria may find that these feelings intensify as their body changes to accommodate the pregnancy. The social association of pregnancy with womanhood and femininity can also lead to discomfort. Ceasing the use of testosterone may also exacerbate feelings of gender dysphoria. It’s important to note that discomfort and dysphoria aren’t a given for all trans folks who become pregnant. In fact, some people find that the experience of being pregnant and giving birth enhances their connection to their body.
The emotional impact of pregnancy is entirely dictated by each individual’s personal experience.
Delivery
The survey administrators found that a higher percentage of folks who reported testosterone use prior to conception had a cesarean delivery (C-section), though the difference wasn’t statistically significant.
It’s also worth noting that 25 percent of people who had a C-section elected to do so, possibly due to discomfort or other feelings around vaginal delivery.
The researchers concluded that pregnancy, delivery, and birth outcomes didn’t differ according to prior testosterone use.
Although more research is necessary, this suggests that the outcomes for transgender, transmasculine, and gender non-conforming folks are similar to that of cisgender women.
Postpartum
It’s important that special attention be given to the unique needs of transgender people following childbirth. Postpartum depression is of particular concern. Studies show that 1 in 7 cisgender women experience postpartum depression. Given that the trans community experiences much higher rates of mental health conditions, they may also experience postpartum depression in higher numbers. The method of feeding a newborn is another important consideration.
If you’ve elected to have a bilateral mastectomy, you may not be able to chestfeed. Those who haven’t had top surgery, or have had procedures such as periareolar top surgery, may still be able to chestfeed.
Still, it’s up to each individual to decide whether chestfeeding feels right for them.
Although there has yet to be a study on transgender men and lactation, exogenous testosterone has long been used as a method for suppressing lactation. This suggests that those who do take testosterone while chestfeeding may experience a decreased production in milk. With this in mind, it’s important to consider whether delaying your return to testosterone use is the right choice for you.
If you no longer have or were not born with a uterus
To our knowledge, there has not yet been a case of pregnancy in an AMAB individual. However, advances in reproductive technology could make this a possibility in the near future for folks who have had hysterectomies and those who were not born with ovaries or a uterus.
Pregnancy via uterus transplant
The first baby born from a transplanted uterus arrived in Sweden during October of 2014. While this procedure is still in its early experimental stages, several other babies have been born through this method. Most recently, a family in India welcomed a baby from a transplanted womb, the first such case in the country. Of course, like many such technologies, this method was developed with cisgender women in mind. But many have begun to speculate that this procedure could also apply to transgender women and other AMAB folks. Dr. Richard Paulson, the former president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, suggested that uterine transplants for trans women and AMAB folks are more or less possible now. He added, “There would be additional challenges, but I don’t see any obvious problem that would preclude it.” It’s likely that supplementation to replicate hormonal phases during pregnancy would be necessary. Cesarean section would also be necessary for those who have undergone gender confirmation surgery.
Pregnancy via abdominal cavity
It has also been suggested that it may be possible for AMAB folks to carry a baby in the abdominal cavity. People have made this leap based on the fact that a very tiny percentage of eggs are fertilized outside of the womb in what is known as an ectopic pregnancy. However, ectopic pregnancies are incredibly dangerous for the gestational parent and typically require surgery. A significant amount of research would need to be done to make this a possibility for folks who don’t have a uterus, and even then, it seems incredibly unlikely that this would be a viable option for a hopeful parent.The bottom line
With our understanding constantly evolving, it’s important to honor the fact that one’s gender doesn’t determine whether they can become pregnant. Many men have had children of their own, and many more will likely do so in the future.
It’s crucial not to subject those who do become pregnant to discrimination, and instead find ways to offer safe and supportive environments for them to build their own families.
Likewise, it seems feasible that uterus transplants and other emerging technologies will make it possible for AMAB individuals to carry and give birth to children of their own. The best thing we can do is to support and care for all people who choose to become pregnant, regardless of their gender and the sex they were assigned at birth.
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KC Clements is a queer, nonbinary writer based in Brooklyn, NY. Their work deals with queer and trans identity, sex and sexuality, health and wellness from a body positive standpoint, and much more. You can keep up with them by visiting their website, or by finding them on Instagram and Twitter.
Can men become pregnant: What to know
A person who was born male and is living as a man cannot get pregnant. However, some transgender men and nonbinary people can.
In most cases, including cis-men who have sex with men, male pregnancy is not possible.
New research in uterine transplants may mean that male pregnancy could be a possibility in the future, though.
In this article, we will discuss the difference between sex and gender before explaining more about transgender and male pregnancy.
Anyone who has a uterus and ovaries could become pregnant and give birth.
People who are born male and living as men cannot get pregnant. A transgender man or nonbinary person may be able to, however.
It is only possible for a person to be pregnant if they have a uterus. The uterus is the womb, which is where the fetus develops. Male reproductive organs include testicles and a penis but no uterus.
The terms “man” and “woman” refer to a person’s gender, which encompasses the socially constructed characteristics that differentiate the traditional binary sexes — male and female.
Unlike a person’s biological sex, which an individual’s reproductive organs and secondary sex characteristics define, genetics alone do not determine a person’s gender.
A person’s gender may include specific social roles, norms, and expectations that differentiate men and women.
These characteristics are subjective, and they differ among societies, social classes, and cultures. The gender by which a person identifies depends on the individual.
Gender is much more fluid than biological sex.
Typically, people are assigned male or female at birth. Those who identify with the gender that society associates with their biological sex are “cisgender” men and women.
Cisgender men who have sex with cisgender men cannot get pregnant.
However, not everyone identifies with the gender role that is associated with their designated sex. For instance, a person who was assigned female at birth (AFAB) but identifies as a man may refer to themselves as a “transgender” man or a gender nonconforming individual.
Many AFAB people who identify as men or gender nonconforming people retain their ovaries and uterus, which allows them to get pregnant and give birth.
People who have a uterus and ovaries can become pregnant and give birth.
However, some AFAB people may take testosterone. Testosterone therapy helps suppress the effects of estrogen while stimulating the development of masculine secondary sex characteristics, including:
- muscle growth
- redistribution of body fat
- increased hair growth on the body and face
- deeper voice
Research suggests that menstruation usually ends within 12 months after starting testosterone therapy and often within 6 months, which can make conceiving more difficult but not impossible.
Although testosterone therapy does not make people infertile, a person may have a higher chance of placental abruption, preterm labor, anemia, and hypertension.
In a 2014 study, researchers surveyed 41 transgender men and gender nonconforming AFAB individuals who became pregnant and gave birth.
Of the individuals who reported using testosterone before pregnancy, 20% became pregnant before their menstrual cycle returned.
The authors of this study concluded that prior testosterone use did not lead to significant differences in pregnancy, delivery, or birth outcomes.
The authors also noted that a higher percentage of transgender men who reported previous testosterone use had a cesarean delivery compared with those who had no history of testosterone use.
These findings do not suggest that testosterone therapy makes people incapable of vaginal delivery, as 25% of the transgender men who had a cesarean delivery chose to do so based on their comfort levels and preferences.
However, there is limited research regarding transgender pregnancy, so it is unclear how testosterone may affect a person’s fertility or pregnancy.
In a 2019 case study, researchers documented the experience of one 20-year-old transgender man who became pregnant 2 months after he discontinued testosterone therapy.
After 40 weeks, he gave birth to a healthy baby after an uncomplicated labor.
The authors stated that he chestfed for 12 weeks before restarting testosterone therapy.
People who have had a bilateral mastectomy or other chest surgeries may not be able to chestfeed.
Transgender men and AFAB individuals who do not identify as female may elect to undergo a range of medical treatments and surgical procedures during the transition process.
Examples of gender-affirming surgical procedures for transgender men include:
- Male chest reduction or “top surgery”: This procedure involves the removal of both breasts and any underlying breast tissue.
- Hysterectomy: A hysterectomy refers to the removal of the internal female reproductive organs, including the ovaries and uterus.
- Phalloplasty: During this procedure, a surgeon constructs a neopenis from skin grafts.
- Metoidioplasty: This treatment uses a combination of surgery and hormone therapy to enlarge the clitoris and make it function as a penis.
If a person has undergone a partial hysterectomy — which involves the removal of the womb but not the ovaries, cervix, and fallopian tubes — it is possible for the fertilized egg to latch onto the fallopian tubes or the abdomen, resulting in an ectopic pregnancy.
However, this is exceedingly rare, and according to a 2015 review, there are only 71 cases on record since 1895.
Gender does not determine who can become pregnant.
People who identify as men can, and do, become pregnant and give birth, if they possess a uterus and ovaries.
I found out that the guy has a child, what should I do?
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Evil stepmother
Better go.
There is not enough time together and it will probably be possible to forget everything. And this burden is forever and will not go anywhere. Not worth it. 14 October 2013 Don't waste your time. The ending is obvious. If you don't believe me, read the 1000 topics on the forum about it. The ending has always been the same.
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6 The child himself does not scare me, well, he will grow up on his own and will sometimes come in, sometimes we will take him with us, someday I myself will become a mother, and the attitude towards the child will change. I am frightened by a lot of questions that arise in my head, but will he treat my children well, although he himself says that the first child is good, but you are not so conscious of this, that the second time he will not make the same mistakes as first time with ex and first child
#13
Take your time, take a closer look.
#14
Cranberries in sugar
This amuses me: "well, it will grow for itself and will be"... and "sometimes we will take it with us" .. ... The author, sometimes it's how many times in six months? how often and in what form does your boyfriend participate in the child's life?
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#16
Alla
Masha, why did he break up with his ex?
#17
#18
so that you know pregnancy can only provoke a recurrence of cancer, childbirth is not a cure.
Yes, most likely his girlfriend had nothing.
#20
#21
#21
And when you will give birth to mountains, your boyfriend will give you a decree now sit when the passions subside, then most likely it will no longer reckon with your opinion. It is best to marry an equal. So let him look for a girl with children. You've only been dating for 3 months so far, leave before it's too late.
#22
Moreover, when the candy-bouquet period is over, the child will no longer cause tenderness, he will simply give you discomfort at a purely everyday level.
Run now before you fly in yourself.
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#23
Do you really need it at 25 - a free young girl?
#24
Masha
He worked a lot, he could not devote much time to them, because he was looking for ways to earn money to support his family, at that moment he came only from the army, because he worked immediately at the main job and side job.
And the former loved to live in a big way, spent all her salary for a week, but didn’t really think about what to live on. Then she, sitting at home, apparently got bored, began to look for men on the Internet with whom she could fuck. She even dated some of them. He found out about it. This is where their discord began. With all this, she reproached him for being a miser
#25
Masha
Weekly, he picks him up from kindergarten on weekdays, takes care of him, not every day, but 2-3 days a week, on weekends his mother takes care of him
Or you will have to welcome her to your home. And most likely in this case, the meetings will be transferred to the weekend.
The needs of a girl will increase with age, both in the moral, intellectual and material sense. Accordingly, the share of attention, participation and corny money that goes to you and your children will always be less than with dad "without trailers.
"
Then her personal character will begin to hatch, sometimes very specific and not similar to the character of your boyfriend and possibly completely unacceptable from your point of view. And then you have to communicate, and quite closely in your own home.
And you need to worry not about whether your man will be able to love your common children in the same way as his first daughter, but whether YOU personally will be able to accept this whole situation adequately, calmly and without hassle for all participants, of course, and the child may turn out to be just lovely , which you want to love with all your heart and dad and mom are wise enough to properly build all relationships and not manipulate the child, but you need to consider the situation in all possible consequences. So they write to you correctly, of course, you can and should make friends with a child, but! despite all your so far trouble-free love, listen carefully to yourself and think about whether you need to take on such a burden.
Such circumstances become a real test of the strength of the relationship, one consolation is that no one is obliged to endure these circumstances.
#27
Masha
Weekly, he picks him up from kindergarten on weekdays, takes care of him, not every day, but 2-3 days a week, on weekends his mother takes care of him
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#28
Guest
Even now - are you ready to take the child with you instead of walking? Not a date, not spontaneous sex, not continuous mimimi - but to entertain someone else's child, to watch him.
Do you really need it at the age of 25 - a free young girl? 14 October 2013
#30
Masha
Guest Even now - are you ready to take this child with you instead of walking together? Not a date, not spontaneous sex, not continuous mimimi - but to entertain someone else's child, to watch him.
Do you really need it at the age of 25 - a free young girl?
The point is not to entertain someone else's child, but that the child is not to blame for the fact that he was born, and he, like any other child, wants attention. My young man himself grew up without a father, he left the family when he was still small, and he does not want his child to be left without attention on his part, but he also does not want to live with his ex. I, as a person understand him, well, it doesn’t work out, I’m ready to accept a child and give part of my time not to my beloved, but to another person who can and will hate me later, but how to get rid of the hurt feeling of self-worth?
And so - well, repeat like a mantra, enthrall with your own kindness while entertaining the child, then treat neuroses again and again.
And there, old age and illness are not far from such a life. October 14, 2013
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#33
Guest
Not everyone is given to love and sincerely accept someone else's child. Or it is illiquid who will be glad that at least they found such a thing. Or it will just be in character. It's impossible to be like that. If the child has already caused negativity and many questions, it will only get worse. The main question is why? Find yourself a childless person and everything will be ok!
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Masha
It wasn't the very fact of having a child that made me feel negative, but the fact that it was announced not immediately, but after a while, and with the fact that the ex-girlfriend wanted to tell me this herself, and he decided to get ahead of her.
If it wasn't for this situation, he wouldn't have said it anytime soon. He said that he did not know how I would react to this, he was afraid that when he said he would leave, and he was not ready for this
#36
Just like the father of your children, he will be good - he is able to take responsibility for the child and take care of him, this can be seen in his attitude towards his daughter.
But!
- The former will always stand between you, periodically "emerges" with claims and demands for money. Especially since she wants him back. This is constant jealousy on your part.
- A man will spend part of his free time with his daughter (and modern working men have so little free time). And you will start to get angry - we were going to ... (to the park with OUR child / to do something around the house / to visit, etc.) to say for sure - children require a lot of money, and then school .
.. university, etc. But he is not an oligarch, and you will soon realize that these thousands would be useful to your family.
- As mentioned above - problems with registration of property, inheritance. 14 October 2013 Or it is illiquid who will be glad that at least they found such a thing. Or it will just be in character. It's impossible to be like that. If the child has already caused negativity and many questions, it will only get worse. The main question is why? Find yourself a childless person and everything will be ok!
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#38
Another ex-girlfriend is getting into a relationship with her mother.
Why does the author need all this?
#39
This is perhaps the most disgusting thing in this situation. We'll have to keep the "eternal defense", and they will do their best to mischief and manipulate with the help of a child.
#40
Hmm. My man's child lives with him at all. And sometimes "mother" comes to the child.
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Book
OFER COMMUNICATION OF THE CHANGE, GENTER WITH WITH WILL . Say "leave him alone, we have a family and a child"14 October 2013 Maybe they just quarreled 3 months ago.
And he, in order to prove his alpha male, immediately found a girl. October 14, 2013 Most likely he is lying to both, this is a typical situation
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90,000. from past relationships! How to reconcile?The guy has got …
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Last - Remove
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666 mr
I'm not against communicating with a child, let it be.
It's embarrassing that that lady wants him back. And he just hates me. I understand her. And it seems to me that if there is a common child with him, he suddenly needs to love him less or say that mine is not so beautiful ??? How can I imagine that he goes for a walk with the child, and my child remains to sit with me or something like that.
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#17
Nice girl on the right finger.
the question is, why do you need a man who left a two-year-old child ??
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9000
I speak from my own experience, I have the same situation, one on one .. I imagine what you are experiencing. I had such jealousy for the child and for his mother. Also, my mother, a compassionate woman, began to say, well, maybe you don’t need him, let dad go to the baby, maybe they will normalize.
But I sat down and thought about everything, our relationship began when it ended long ago, I didn’t beat it off, he chose me himself. The fact that there is a child is a minus, either I put up with it, or end the relationship, and even if I leave him, he is unlikely to be with the mother of the child.
In addition, she remembered her sister, she married a second time with a child from her first marriage. Would I like it if her second husband was jealous and mistreated my nephew?
In short, I stopped being jealous, not to say that right away, but now I'm used to it, it somehow became all the same to me, well, I went for a walk with the child and that's fine.
#21
Guest
A common child with him, you can, in such a situation, be only legally married. Does he ask you to marry?
#22
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#24
Guest
Thanks for the tip! Everything is the same with me, he didn’t leave me and didn’t leave the child because of me.
More to this and was inclined that you just need to accept it all and stop being jealous. After all, he tells me that she will no longer be with her, you have to believe. But if he cheats, I’ll definitely live with cats until old age !!!!
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mr
I don't mind talking to a child, let it be. It's embarrassing that that lady wants him back. And he just hates me. I understand her. And it seems to me that if there is a common child with him, he suddenly needs to love him less or say that mine is not so beautiful ??? How can I imagine that he goes for a walk with the child, and my child remains to sit with me or something like that.
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My husband and his children and grandchildren piss me off...
643 Answer
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The man immediately warned that all property was recorded for children
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Such a salary - I do not want to work
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9029 of the year. How to destroy?
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Husband left, 2 months of depression... How will you cope if you are left all alone?
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#29
mr
I'm not against communicating with a child, let it be. It's embarrassing that that lady wants him back. And he just hates me. I understand her. And it seems to me that if there is a common child with him, he suddenly needs to love him less or say that mine is not so beautiful ??? How can I imagine that he goes for a walk with the child, and my child remains to sit with me or something like that.
#30
#31
krooow
I have been living with my boyfriend for half a year. He had a child from a previous relationship. Girl. Lives with mom. He himself left her and, as he tells me, is not going to return. And she wants him back. She wrote and called me, said various nasty things that we would never have children, called him, cried, pressed on pity. She manipulated the child ... Now I think I will put up with the fact that he calls the former and communicates with the child? The child is two years old. And is it worth reconciling? I'm a creepy possessive, jealous...
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9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 2016, 17:41
#35
Elena
If he needs you, then it's okay.
A child will never replace a beloved woman and wife for a man. He is still alone, whether he communicates with the child or not. My father was divorced three times before my mother and he had a child from a previous marriage. He lived with my mother all his life and there were not very many problems with this. You could say it didn't exist at all. Another thing, if you love him, the child may remind you that he had a relationship in the past. It is unpleasant. I know for myself. Just try to get used to this circumstance and concentrate more on your relationship, and take the child for granted. Well, there he is. So what? This is a different relationship, a different role..
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#37
Guest
You can pick up Boran from the herd, but you never deprive your father’s child If you forbid seeing a child, then he will throw you.
