Transsexual men’s experiences of childbirth and postpartum in the light of transcultural care

Abstract

Objective: to unveil the experiences of transsexual men during childbirth and postpartum in the light of the Theory of Diversity and Universality of Cultural Care. Method: a qualitative and descriptive study using the multiple case study method. Data was collected using an intentional sample of five transsexual men, selected on the basis of convenience and availability. The interviews were transcribed in full and the results were organized and adapted to the Sunrise Model. Results: the majority of the participants were «primiparous» and had given birth by cesarean section. In adapting the Sunrise Model, we observed the encouragement of medicalization and mechanistic management of childbirth; fear of natural childbirth; violence perpetrated against transsexual men resulting from the difficulty of access to information by the pregnant man, and obstetric care not qualified to meet the needs of the public, resulting in fragile care, with dissatisfaction with the health service. Conclusion: the experiences of transsexual men during childbirth and the postpartum period are a mixture of experiences that generate damage, especially when linked to situations of transphobic violence and violation of rights.