How Should a Transgender Patient's History of Deep Vein Thrombosis and Smoking Influence Gender-Affirming Health Decision Sharing?

This commentary on a case considers a transgender patient's mental health and risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in ethical decision making about feminizing gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). Key considerations when beginning GAHT include recognizing that venous thromboembolism risk may only be modest and can be easily mitigated and that a transgender patient's mental health status should not weigh in a treatment decision about hormone therapy any more than it would for someone who is not transgender. Because the DVT risk of the case patient, who has a history of smoking and DVT, will only be increased modestly if at all by estrogen therapy and can be decreased through smoking cessation along with other DVT prevention methods, the patient should receive gender-affirming hormone therapy.