HFEA respond to RCOG's Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) Green-top guideline consultation

Responding to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists consultation on a draft guideline relating to the care of transgender and gender diverse people (TGD), Clare Ettinghausen, HFEA Director of Strategy & Corporate Affairs, said:

“We know that people within the LGBT+ community may have poorer experiences of care with our recent National Patient Survey showing that many same sex couples were dissatisfied with the cost of treatment, as well as how they were treated throughout their fertility journey, from feeling dismissed by their GP, to receiving treatment. There is a lot of work to be done to ensure healthcare is fully inclusive and the development of this draft guidance is a welcome step towards this. It’s important that a diverse group of voices further inform this work so once finalised, the guidance can be put into practice and begin making a difference.

“We’d advise anyone considering fertility preservation to think carefully about their options and discuss them with medically qualified staff. Treatment can be a very emotional experience so we also recommend that anyone thinking about having fertility treatment has the right support. Information to support trans and non-binary people seeking fertility treatment is available on the HFEA website, including links to the professional support available.”

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About the HFEA

• The HFEA is the UK’s independent regulator of fertility treatment and research using human embryos.
• Set up in 1990 by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, the HFEA is responsible for licensing, monitoring, and inspecting fertility clinics to ensure patients and everyone born through fertility treatment receives high quality care.
• The HFEA is an ‘arm’s length body’ of the Department for Health and Social Care, working independently from Government providing free, clear, and impartial information about fertility treatment, clinics and egg, sperm and embryo donation.
• The HFEA is funded by licence fees, IVF treatment fees and a grant from UK central government. For more information visit, www.hfea.gov.uk.