Pathways to Parenthood Experience Among Transgender Men: a Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis

This study is a meta-synthesis that aimed to synthesize, analyze, and reinterpret the results of scientific studies on the lived experience of parenthood by transgender men. A systematic review was conducted considering seven databases: EMBASE, LILACS, OASIS, PsychINFO, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. Empirical, primary and qualitative studies in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French were selected. These studies specifically explore the experiences of parenthood among transgender men. There was no pre-established time period for this review. The search resulted in 1828 records, of which 16 were included in the study. The eligible studies were published between 1998 and 2023, categorized into four descriptive themes and two analytical themes. The data allows us to highlight that pregnancy prevails as the primary pathway to parenthood for trans men, and during this period, they experience gender dysphoria. Consequently, trans men experience isolation resulting in different ways of agency in relation to their children. In the social and institutional context, they experience constant denial of rights, ranging from legislation to denial of healthcare provider services. In conclusion, the studies show that the experience of transmasculine parenthood is consistently shaped by hegemonic norms of cisnormativity and binary thinking, which, despite being rigid, still allow some spaces for escape. These experiences remain intertwined with gender norms but also transcend them, even in the face of imposed sanctions, leading to the need for (re)conceptualization of gender, gestation, and parenthood categories.