Advances in reproductive technologies and recent legislative advances in Quebec and Canada have made it possible for young trans and non-binary (TNB) people to freeze their gametes (sperm and eggs) to be able to use them later in life if they decide to start a family. This option gives them the possibility to be genetically related to their future children. Fertility preservation is a recent practice that has been sparsely documented internationally. This assisted reproduction technique brings up a number of family and ethical issues, which arise as part of parents’ concerns for the child’s well-being as the child medically transitions. Various factors and pressures push the idea of fertility preservation at an age when young people may not necessarily aspire to become parents. This research project aims to better understand how young trans people living in Quebec experience the desire to preserve their gametes, the steps they take in that regard, and the ways in which their parents take part in discussions, in order to build an integrated overall understanding of the subject.
Research results helped develop continuing education for people working in health and social services to raise awareness of the needs of young TNB people and their families, contribute to better supporting these young people’s transition journeys, and foster healthy relationships within the family. The project also produced a decision-making support tool based on the experiences of young people and their parents.
This research project was a partnership between Gender Creative Kids and the gender diversity clinic at the Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) Ste-Justine. It was led by principal investigator Kévin Lavoie (U Laval) with co-researchers Nicholas Chadi (U de Montréal), Lyne Chiniara (U de Montréal), Isabel Côté (UQO) and Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (U de Montréal).
This project was made possible thanks to financial support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) [Insight Development 2020–2022].
