Ellis Simon Adriane, Wojnar Danuta M, Pettinato Maria
J Midwifery Womens Health. 2015 Jan-Feb;60(1):62-9. doi: 10.1111/jmwh.12213. Epub 2014 Sep 5.
Like members of any other population, transgender and gender variant people--individuals whose gender identity varies from the traditional norm or from the sex they were assigned at birth--often seek parenthood. Little is known about the decision making and experiences of these individuals, including male-identified and gender-variant natal females who wish to achieve parenthood by carrying a pregnancy. This pilot qualitative study used grounded theory methodology to explore the conception, pregnancy, and birth experiences of this population of parents.
A grounded theory methodology was used to guide data collection and analysis. Eight male-identified or gender-variant gestational parents participated in the study. Data collection included individual 60-minute to 90-minute interviews conducted by recorded online video calls, as well as a self-administered online demographic survey. Data were collected from September 2011 through May 2012. Data saturation was achieved at 6 interviews, after which 2 more interviews were conducted. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and a constant comparative method was used to analyze the interview transcripts.
Loneliness was the overarching theme that permeated participants' experiences, social interactions, and emotional responses during every stage of achieving biologic parenthood. Within this context of loneliness, participants described complex internal and external processes of navigating identity. Navigating identity encapsulated 2 subthemes: undergoing internal struggles and engaging with the external world. The preconception period was identified as participants' time of greatest distress and least involvement with health care.
The findings of this study suggest that culturally-sensitive preconception counseling could be beneficial for transgender and gender-variant individuals. The grounded theory produced by this pilot investigation also provides insights that will be useful to health care providers and others working with male-identified and gender-variant prospective parents.
与其他人群的成员一样，跨性别者和性别多样化者——即性别认同不同于传统规范或与其出生时被指定的性别不同的个体——也常常渴望为人父母。对于这些个体的决策过程和经历，我们知之甚少，包括那些希望通过怀孕来成为父母的男性认同者和性别多样化的出生时被认定为女性的人。这项定性研究试点采用扎根理论方法，以探究这类父母群体的受孕、怀孕及分娩经历。
采用扎根理论方法指导数据收集与分析。八名男性认同或性别多样化的代孕父母参与了该研究。数据收集包括通过在线视频通话录音进行的时长60至90分钟的个人访谈，以及一份自行填写的在线人口统计学调查问卷。数据收集时间为2011年9月至2012年5月。在进行6次访谈后达到数据饱和，之后又进行了2次访谈。访谈内容逐字转录，并采用持续比较法分析访谈记录。
孤独是贯穿参与者在实现亲生父母身份的每个阶段的经历、社交互动及情感反应的首要主题。在这种孤独的背景下，参与者描述了在身份认同方面复杂的内部和外部过程。身份认同包括两个子主题：经历内心挣扎和与外部世界互动。受孕前期被确定为参与者最痛苦且与医疗保健接触最少的时期。
本研究结果表明，对跨性别者和性别多样化个体而言，具有文化敏感性的受孕前咨询可能有益。这项试点调查产生的扎根理论也为医疗保健提供者及其他与男性认同和性别多样化准父母打交道的人提供了有用的见解。
