Someone asked us: I’m a trans guy on T. Do I still have to worry about getting pregnant?
Gender affirming hormone therapy — including testosterone — isn’t birth control. This means that trans men can get pregnant even if they’re on testosterone (T) and even if they don’t have their period. Pregnancy is possible as long as you have a uterus and ovaries, and are ovulating. It’s also possible to ovulate even if you don’t have a period.
Some trans men’s ability to get pregnant might decrease after taking testosterone for a while. Taking testosterone regularly may eventually stop ovulation entirely. A trans man who wants to get pregnant can do so by temporarily not taking testosterone until pregnancy happens. Trans men can’t get pregnant if they’ve had surgery to remove their uterus and/or ovaries.
The bottom line is: testosterone may impact your ability to get pregnant, but it’s not birth control. So if you don’t want to get pregnant, it’s important to use a reliable method of birth control. You can use any form of birth control when you’re taking testosterone. If you’re transitioning or have transitioned, don’t worry — birth control won’t interfere with your testosterone. Even if you prefer to use a birth control method without estrogen, you have lots of options, like IUDs, the implant, the shot, and progestin-only pills.
If you’re a trans guy and want to learn more on preventing pregnancy, you can talk with your nurse or doctor — like those at Planned Parenthood health centers — to figure out which birth control methods might be best for you.
Tags: fertility, HRT, transmasculine