Boston IVF Announces Results of Landmark Transgender Male Fertility Research Study
Boston IVF, a worldwide leader in fertility care and a pioneer in LGBTQ+ family building, today announced the results of its landmark transgender fertility clinical study – which shows that trans men who utilize egg freezing for fertility preservation have similarly successful clinical outcomes to those of cisgender patients.
The study, based on 8 years of patient data, found that trans men who had begun the transition process via testosterone therapy had similar egg yields as those of cisgender female patients.
More than one-half the transgender male patients had been on testosterone therapy before undergoing ovarian stimulation cycles, and all had discontinued testosterone for an average of 4 months before starting their treatment cycle.
The Boston IVF study is the largest to ever investigate the clinical results of transgender male patients undergoing fertility preservation – and the first to ever describe transgender IVF cycle parameters in such detail and scope. The results are a much needed modern assessment of transgender family building outcomes.
Within the national provider community, it had been previously theorized that transgender men must undergo egg freezing before initiating any hormonal therapy to achieve suitable results.
However, the Boston IVF study shows that transgender men can find similar success as cisgender patients even after they have initiated hormonal transition with the use of testosterone.
Led by Boston IVF researchers and reproductive endocrinologists – including Drs. Nina Resetkova, Angela Leung, Kim Thornton, Samuel Pang, and Denny Sakkas, PhD., – the study’s results are an exciting development for transgender men who have already begun the transition process and wish to someday build a family.
“Our study found that even long periods of gender-affirming androgen therapy did not appear to have a negative effect on ovarian stimulation outcomes,” said Boston IVF Reproductive Endocrinologist Nina Resetkova, MD, MBA. “Based on these results, our goal is to continue encouraging patients to evaluate their options before starting testosterone therapy – but also reassure individuals that if you are on hormones – you still have good options to preserve your fertility or start a family."
Boston IVF, the first fertility clinic in New England to assist both a gay male and lesbian couple to have children through IVF, considers this new study an opportunity to bring more reproductive awareness to the transgender community.
A Toronto study from 2017 found that only 3% of transgender adults had engaged in a fertility preservation process.
“For young patients looking to transition, there needs to be more support and knowledge offered when it comes to their reproductive options for the future.” said Boston IVF reproductive endocrinologist Samuel Pang, MD.
“We hope that studies like ours will assist providers in counseling transgender individuals, to inform them that they have a great chance to have children through assisted reproductive technologies.”
