Pregnancy Experts Reinforce Commitment to People with Diverse Sexual and Gender Identities

Stress Importance of Using Gender-Inclusive Language to Help Improve Health Outcomes

Washington, DC ― The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) today reinforced its commitment to improving health outcomes in obstetric care for all people, including people with diverse sexual and gender identities, issuing a special statement, “Commitment to Excellence in Obstetrical Care, Research, and Education for People with Diverse Sexual and Gender Identities,” and announcing educational sessions at its upcoming annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, which will be held virtually from Jan. 31 to Feb. 5, 2022. 

“Research shows that people with diverse sexual and gender identities experience poorer health outcomes in general and that includes obstetric care,” says author and SMFM member, Justin Brandt, MD. “Using inclusive language is about shifting the paradigm and helping to improve people’s health.”

The special statement, “Commitment to Excellence in Obstetrical Care, Research, and Education for People with Diverse Sexual and Gender Identities,” is scheduled to be published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG) in early 2022, though the preprint is currently available on the AJOG website.

The statement highlights four primary areas of focus:

• Promotion of best practices in clinical settings that affirm the sexual and gender identities of all people
• Promotion of research practices that are inclusive of people with diverse sexual and gender identities
• Ensuring that undergraduate and graduate medical education curricula address diverse pathways to pregnancy and support people with diverse sexual and gender identities during medical training
• Promotion of accuracy and specificity in language use 

In addition, the Society will hold a no-cost special session, “Understanding Intersections: Care for Transgender and Gender Diverse Patient Populations,” and a roundtable, “Optimal Care for People with Diverse Sexual and Gender Identities” on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3, respectively. Both events will be virtual and will feature Trystan Reese, an author and transgender man who has experienced pregnancy, and will be held in conjunction with The Pregnancy Meeting.

Adds Brandt, “SMFM is committed to ensuring excellence in obstetric care for all people, which means we need to continue to educate our members and future MFM physicians about the importance of using inclusive language and adopting inclusive clinical practices.”