I would feel surprised and interested to talk more to this couple. I would feel surprised as I haven’t had a patient like him before during my maternity clinical. I don’t think being surprised is negative as I enjoy learning more about other people’s lives. I would ask questions and make sure the couple is healthy as a whole because the pregnant person and the spouse can be affected by this pregnancy. I think I would also like to know more about the medical side of this patient. I would want to work with the endocrinologist to understand more about how his hormone treatments could potentially affect the growth and development of the fetus. I would also make sure that the medical team is all using the correct pronouns and asking for consent whenever they are performing any assessments on any patient.
I would make sure the chart is all up to date with proper pronouns and verbiage about this patient’s care. I would also make sure that we use neutral terms like pregnant person or dad when referring to this patient. As a nurse in the maternity unit, we are with the patient 24/7. We have to make sure that they feel comfortable during this transition and ways we facilitate that is by asking questions to see what they may have in mind for the birth of their child. This is their birth experience that we are assisting them with. The patient should have complete control over what they would like to happen. As for education since the patient no longer has breasts I would make sure the lactation specialist doesn’t come in and start talking about breastfeeding as this is unrealistic. I would have the specialist talk about other options such as donor breast milk or formula feeding. This is a choice the couple can make together. I may also look up support groups in the area that could facilitate an easier transition into the world of parenthood. Overall, I would try my best to ask questions and correct any inappropriate comments.
I would like to have a conversation with this patient before birth about what vocabulary they would like to use regarding their genitalia. This is something that can cause mental stress on the patient as they identify as a male but have female genitals. This is just as important as keeping the patient’s wishes concerning religious or cultural requests. I would also make sure that the chart is updated so that everyone in their healthcare team can be up to date with this information and provide a comfortable environment. If this couple were to have a good experience with the quality of care during the pregnancy they may be more likely to have another child. This may also demonstrate to other people in this situation that they can have a similar experience. A trusting relationship between the patient and their healthcare team is very important and will last a lifetime. If a person doesn’t feel comfortable with the healthcare system they will not be as open to receiving the care they may need in the future.
