Dr. Pang Presents at Transgender Conference

Dr. Samuel Pang, a specialist in helping LGBTQ men and women have genetically related children, was a featured presenter at the annual First Event conference for trans and genderqueer men and women held in Peabody, MA in January 2013.

Dr. Samuel Pang presented “Family Building Options for Transgender Men and Women Using Assisted Reproductive Technologies”. Sponsored by the Tiffany Club, this is the second year that Dr. Pang, a national authority on assisted reproduction for LGBT men and women, has been invited to speak.

As Dr. Pang explains, "Historically, transgender men and women have been able to have children through heterosexual relationships prior to their coming out and transitioning. More recently, trans and genderqueer individuals are coming out and transitioning sooner in their lives. Consequently, they may not have the opportunity to have children through a traditional heterosexual relationship."

"Having babies and raising a family may not be a topic that is foremost in the minds of younger transgender men and women," says Dr. Pang. " However and unfortunately, procreation may not be an option after a transgender person has completely transitioned. Public education about fertility is part of our mission at Boston IVF and we want trans and genderqueer young people especially to know that it is important to consider the future and take steps to preserve their reproductive potential prior to transitioning."

With the availability of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), transgender individuals have the opportunity to have genetic offspring if they choose to do so. However, it is important to plan ahead.

Dr. Pang advises that, "Prior to gender reassignment hormonal treatment and surgical procedures, transgender individuals may bank their gametes (sperm or eggs) which could be used in the future to build their families through ART."

Specifically, Dr. Pang explains that, "The hormonal treatments that male-to-female individuals undergo as they transition are likely to cause suppression of spermatogenesis. To preserve one’s ability for the possibility of parenting a child, sperm must be collected, frozen and stored at a sperm bank."

"Female-to-male individuals also go through fertility hormonal treatment which could potentially damage their fertility potential," states Dr. Pang. "These individuals have the option for their eggs to be retrieved, frozen and stored in an egg bank. Ideally, this should be done prior to initiation of hormonal therapy. Alternatively, in vitro fertilization (IVF) before transitional treatment is another option for fertility preservation. IVF involves egg retrieval, insemination with sperm, followed by cryopreservation storage of resulting embryos which may be used to conceive children in future."