Familial Discordance Regarding Fertility Preservation for a Transgender Teen: An Ethical Case Study.

ABSTRACT

A 16-year-old adolescent who identifies as transgender wishes to consider fertility preservation prior to the use of gender-affirming hormones. The adolescent's parents are divorced, and one parent supports fertility preservation while the other does not. This case explores the minor's future reproductive autonomy and parental decision making in a field where there is limited evidence of known harms and benefits to the use of fertility preservation in the transgender population and about future potential regret from lack of consideration of fertility preservation during the prime window of opportunity. This case is created from a composite of cases seen at multiple institutions.