
Building Families with Gender-Affirming Fertility Care: What We Learned from Experts at Spring and Plume
Navigating fertility care as a trans or gender-diverse person can raise a lot of questions - and finding affirming and accurate information isn’t always easy.
That’s why Spring Fertility partnered with virtual-care gender-affirming clinic Plume to host a webinar on “Building Families with Gender-Affirming Fertility Care.” In this thoughtful and informative conversation, Dr. Liz Rubin, Spring Fertility Portland’s fertility specialist, and Dr. Jerrica Kirkley, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Plume, explored the unique considerations involved in fertility preservation and family building for trans and gender-diverse individuals. Covering timelines, treatment options, costs, and third-party reproduction, this webinar provided practical guidance, emotional support, and a reminder that everyone deserves the opportunity to build a family on their own terms.
We’ve pulled together some of the most powerful moments and quotes from Dr. Rubin and Dr. Kirkley, which speak to the importance of inclusive, gender-affirming fertility care. Many of these came in response to thoughtful questions from attendees.
Read on for a selection of those questions and their expert insights.
How can Fertility Providers be More Inclusive with Patients Seeking Gender-Affirming Care?
“I think especially in gender-affirming care, [it’s about] really designing systems that don’t put the burden on the patients to educate their providers, or have to advocate for basic respect and knowledge in their healthcare setting”
~ Dr. Liz Rubin, Spring Fertility Portland
What is the Biggest Misconception About Trans and Gender-Diverse Patients Seeking Fertility Care?
“The most pervasive misconception I see among my patients is that they cannot get pregnant or get somebody pregnant while they are on gender-affirming hormone [replacement] therapy. I think among physicians, misconceptions are really rampant, [especially in] the way doctors think somebody might want to build their family or assume what those people’s reproductive or sexual lives look like.”
~ Dr. Liz Rubin
How Can Telehealth be Utilized to Foster Inviting and Supportive Care?
“We've definitely seen, of course, a large adoption in telehealth over the last 5 years in the general population, but we've also seen that magnified within marginalized communities. In fact, there was a study, I think in 2022, which showed that about 100% of trans folks have utilized telemedicine in the past year, coupled with the fact that upwards of 85% of folks don't feel safe to go into a healthcare facility when they need to… so [telehealth] can be advantageous for any marginalized community that’s having trouble accessing care.”
~ Dr. Jerrica Kirkley, Plume
What Does a More Inclusive and Affirming Healthcare Future Look Like to You?
“Over the next 5 to 10 years, I think as a baseline, I would love to see a situation in which fertility and family building [aren’t] essentially being weaponized against people. I think the way in which future fertility has been weaponized by anti-trans activists is pretty horrific, and a substantial barrier to being able to just have conversations with people about the choices they want to make for themselves, for the future, and for their families.”
~ Dr. Liz Rubin
“I am hopeful, and I think largely because of what we've seen in the past. You know, this is not the first time we've seen this as a community. This is not the first time we've seen this as a global community, in terms of just discrimination and threatening the livelihood of people. So, we've seen us as a broader community come together and fight and figure things out, and so I know that we will do that one way or another.”
~ Dr. Jerrica Kirkley
Dr. Rubin and Dr. Kirkley’s conversation reminds us how important it is to provide inclusive and supportive gender-affirming fertility care that truly honors each person’s unique journey and individual needs.
By addressing misconceptions, embracing inclusive practices, and providing accessible options, experts like Dr. Rubin and Dr. Kirkley are helping to create a more supportive future for trans and gender-diverse individuals who wish to build families.
If you’d like to learn more about Plume and the gender-affirming healthcare services they provide, visit their website to explore how they can support you.
If you are interested in starting your family-building journey, book a consult with Spring Fertility to learn more about your options and speak with a fertility specialist.