What is Gender Affirming Hormone Care?
Gender affirming hormone care, also called “hormone replacement therapy” (HRT), “hormone therapy” or “hormone replacement drugs,” is a treatment used for transgender, non-binary, and intersex people to more closely align their bodies with their gender identity. Not all transgender, non-binary, and intersex people wish to receive hormone care. For those that do, access has historically been difficult.
Why is Planned Parenthood providing gender affirming hormone care?
Access to sexual and reproductive health care includes access to gender affirming hormone care. Planned Parenthood will always stand behind ways to increase access to reproductive and sexual health care.
The medications used for gender affirming hormone care are not very different from the drugs used for birth control, menopause, or low testosterone conditions. In all cases, hormones are administered to manage or prevent other health conditions, in order to increase the patient’s quality of life.
Providing gender affirming hormone care is just one of the ways that Planned Parenthood can better serve transgender, non-binary and intersex patients. By training our clinicians about the needs of these patients, we can better offer them a full range of reproductive health care.
How many patients access Gender Affirming Hormone Care through PPGNHAIK?
Currently there are 3,876 patients accessing gender affirming hormone care through PPGNHAIK clinics.
In what states does PPGNHAIK offer Gender Affirming Hormone Care?
Alaska, Hawai’i, Idaho, and Washington. Gender Affirming Hormone Care will be available in Indiana and Kentucky as of September 30, 2021.
When will Indiana and Kentucky Health Centers offer Gender Affirming Hormone Care?
Fall of 2021.
How do patients access Gender Affirming Hormone Care at Planned Parenthood?
Patients can access gender affirming hormone care by calling 1-800-769-0045, or by booking an appointment online.
Who may receive Gender Affirming Hormone Care?
Anyone who is 18 years or older and does not have any health conditions that would interfere with hormone care is eligible to receive gender affirming hormone care at Planned Parenthood.
Do patients need a referral or a letter from a mental health care provider to receive gender affirming hormone care at Planned Parenthood?
No. After extensive research, Planned Parenthood has found that the informed consent model is the best one for providing gender affirming hormone care.
What do patients have to say about gender affirming hormone care at PPGNHAIK health centers?
“This was the first provider I’ve had that asked me my pronouns and respected those... I felt really respected coming here.”
“Some of the best bedside manner that I’ve experienced.”
“I didn’t realize that Planned Parenthood had been offering [hormone care] for such a short time because everyone was so on top of things.”
PPGNHAIK doesn’t prescribe puberty blockers for minors – why?
While “puberty blockers” - that is, drugs that delay puberty – are not currently available for minors at PPGNHAIK health centers, that may change in the future. Planned Parenthood is acutely aware of the need for this type of health care, the current lack of access, and the relentless political attacks against trans youth health care. Once the affiliate has better mastered the implementation of gender affirming hormone care, it may be expanded to include youth.
While we cannot currently prescribe puberty blockers for minors, we may be able to connect families with resources and other providers. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out or consult this online resource.
Can Planned Parenthood write referral letters for gender affirming surgery?
Yes! After a patient has established care, they can ask their provider to connect them with a patient care navigator, who will help them with this service.
Do all Planned Parenthood affiliates offer Gender Affirming Hormone Care?
No. But, by expanding gender affirming hormone care to Indiana and Kentucky, PPGNHAIK will join 42 other Planned Parenthood affiliates offering gender affirming hormone care across all their health centers. There are now less than ten Planned Parenthood affiliates in the nation that do not offer any type of gender affirming hormone care.
What other services does Planned Parenthood offer transgender, non-binary, and intersex patients?
Everything available to Planned Parenthood patients is available to transgender, non-binary, and intersex patients, including general wellness exams, birth control, STI and HIV screenings, cancer screenings, pelvic exams, and abortion.
Is there a great need for gender affirming health care?
Undoubtedly. Transgender, non-binary, and intersex people have long faced discrimination in health care. In previous decades, the trans community relied on word of mouth to discover health care providers who could (or would) administer gender affirming hormone care, referral letters for surgery, mental health counseling, and those who would even treat them at all for general care. Many transgender, non-binary, and intersex people have suffered greatly from lack of treatment, maltreatment, or outright refusal of care [content warning: transphobia, death] from medical providers.
Tags: trans health, FAQ, GenderAffirmingCare