Unique Health Issues of Transgender Females
&
Doctors commitment
Introduction:
People who come to terms with the fact that they identify with a different gender than what they were told when they were born are considered transgender. Even in this day and age of advanced medical technology, there are transgender females who were bio-labelled as boys at birth, and vice versa. Sometimes, a person's internal experiences with gender identification or identity do not line up with their biological sex. When a person's emotions, body language, and expressions do not correspond with their identified sex, it is a part of a more nuanced, multi-faceted, and diverse human experience or process.
Compared to transgender boys, transgender girls have much more complex, varied, and challenging health care demands. Because of this, it is not only necessary, but crucial, in today's scientific medical world, to talk about the health care requirements of transgender women and find the best answer.
This article will go into the specific health issues that transgender women face. The societal context, the limits of primary care physicians, and the critical role played by seasoned medical professionals all contribute to the unique health challenges faced by transgender women. It would be fascinating to hear physicians' worries as well. Achieving universal healthcare for all people, including transgender women, requires an understanding of these challenges.
Transgender girls Vs Cisgender Females:
When comparing CIS gender girls to transgender women, the most important distinction is that the former's mental, emotional, and physical characteristics are more closely aligned with their biological identity. Key distinctions include:
The sex identification of a cisgender woman at birth remains consistent throughout her life. While transgender females were formerly classified as boys at birth, they have now been recognised as girls.
In order to conform to their biological gender, many transgender women seek out Hormone Therapy.
Transgender women may seek out gender-affirming operations, such as breast augmentation or genital reconstruction, to help them blend in more with the cisgender population.
Despite transitioning, some transgender women keep their reproductive organs, including the testes, which opens up new possibilities for reproductive health care, such fertility preservation methods.
Unique Health Needs:
Health care for transgender women, like that of cisgender people, is complex and multifaceted, requiring an atmosphere that is sensitive to cultural norms and practises. The specific health care requirements of transgender females will be investigated here.
a)Hormone Therapy:
Hormone treatment, which includes the administration of oestrogen and anti-androgen drugs to induce feminine effects, is a major problem for transgender women. To guarantee the effectiveness and safety of these medicines, it is crucial to regularly evaluate hormone levels. Blood testing, hormone dosage adjustments, and weighing the risks and benefits may all be part of this process.
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The development of blood clots, or venous thromboembolism (VTE), is one of the major dangers associated with hormone treatment for transgender women. Research has shown that transgender women using oestrogen therapy are at a higher risk of vein-related events (VTEs), particularly during the first year of treatment. Smokers are much more vulnerable to this danger.
Hormone replacement treatment also carries the danger of cardiovascular disease. In addition to age, obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure, oestrogen treatment has been associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease.
An increased risk of metabolic syndrome and metabolic alterations is also linked to hormone treatment in transgender women. Common symptoms of metabolic syndrome include excess fat around the abdomen, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol levels. In order to decrease long-term health effects, it is crucial to monitor and manage these variables in transgender women, as this danger underscores.
b) sexual & Reproductive desires:
Meeting the specific sexual and reproductive health needs of transgender women is an essential part of providing effective fitness care. Particular difficulties with gender identification impact the sexual and reproductive health of many transgender females. For instance, side effects such as libido, changes in sexual characteristics, and infertility have been reported to occur in patients undergoing intercourse-confirming hormone treatment (GAHT). Greater rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, may be experienced by transgender women for a variety of reasons, including increased sexual activity without condoms and limited access to health care.
c)Mental health and gender dysphoria:
Before diving into the specifics of how gender dysphoria affects the health of transgender women, it's important to grasp the concept of mental health and its relationship to and distinction from gender dysphoria.
What we mean when we talk about someone's mental health is their whole capacity to deal with things like everyday stress, emotions, psychological health, sustaining relationships, and social wellness. Levels of mental health are subjective, differing between genders and people, and do not adhere to any established criteria. Life events, social milieu, surroundings, and living situations all have a role in determining the level. A person's health is directly affected by it.
Uncertainty about one's biological sex may lead to the medical disorder known as gender dysphoria. People who identify as transgender often suffer from this illness since their sexual appearance does not correspond with their biological identity. Anxiety, despair, or stress may range from mild to severe for patients.
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Mental health issues, including anxiety and despair, are common among transgender women. Mental health may be greatly affected by gender dysphoria, which is the distress experienced by people whose gender identity varies from their given gender at birth. Because of prejudice, discrimination, and societal rejection, many transgender women struggle with mental health issues including despair, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide. Exacerbating these mental health issues are negative life events like rejection from loved ones. Many factors, including differences in physical appearance, vocal quality, social contact, and discriminatory attitudes, might contribute to transgender women's dysphoria. In most cases, it causes a cascade of emotional and mental problems, including anxiety and sadness.
d)Access to Gender-Affirming Care:
Transgender women have this specific health risk on top of everything else. Breast augmentation and other forms of face feminization cosmetic surgery are examples of gender-affirming procedures that they may choose to pursue. This desire is influenced by the following primary elements.
Because of their unique physical characteristics, transgender women often experience gender dysphoria.
Transgender women often experience discrimination in society and encounter harassment on the street.
Financial assistance, legal protection, and medical competency are some of the obstacles that make it difficult to get gender-affirming treatment, which in turn increases stress and gender dysphoria. Mental health issues might be exacerbated by the fear of being judged, mistreated, or insensitive by healthcare practitioners.
e) Desire of resemblance:
Eating habits may be disrupted for transgender women who want to seem more like their Cisgender counterparts. Problems with one's bodily and mental health may result from this.
f) Tendency of Suicide:
Due to gender dysphoria and discriminatory social behaviours, transgender women are more likely to engage in self-harming behaviours or even attempt suicide.
g) Surgical Needs:
Transgender women also have unique anatomical concerns, such as those related to prostate surgery. Gender affirmation requires a series of medical treatments for girls who were born with masculine traits.
A large number of transsexual women choose out of having their prostate glands surgically removed. Transgender women usually keep their prostates—male reproductive organs that produce seminal fluid—intact unless they want to have them surgically removed (which is not always desired or accessible). For transgender women, maintaining good prostate health is an important issue during and after transition. The incidence of prostate cancer is higher in men than in women, putting them at a greater risk.
h) Addiction:
As part of their addiction, transgender women often choose drug use.
Role of General Practitioners:
General practitioners are vital in transgender women's health care, but they must be aware of the challenges transgender women face and seek advice from specialists when necessary. To guarantee that transgender women get the best and most comprehensive treatment for their unique health care requirements, endocrinologists, gynaecologists, and mental fitness specialists who focus on transgender care should work together. Doctors can improve transgender girls' health and quality of life by collaborating as a healthcare team to provide them excellent treatment.
Limitations of General Practitioners:
While primary care physicians see many patients and have extensive training in the medical field, they often lack the expertise to treat transgender women. There are fewer patients and unique needs are to blame. They have a few drawbacks, including:
General practitioners (GPs) may provide emotional and psychological help, but often lack the education and experience to deal with the complexities of gender dysphoria, discrimination, and identity disorders.
Neither specialised training nor comprehensive understanding about the healthcare requirements of transgender people are possessed by general practitioners. Hormone treatment, gender-affirming surgery, and voice therapy are all part of this complex topic.
General practitioners often struggle to comprehend complex diseases and put patients at rest due to their limited medical training.
The vast majority of primary care physicians are unaware of, or do not have any connections to, specialists who can offer the specialised treatment that transgender women need, such as gender-affirming surgeries, voice therapy, and more.
While assisting transgender patients in updating their identity papers, general practitioners often face administrative and legal hurdles.
Unfortunately, transgender women often face unsavoury social situations since general practitioners lack knowledge about cultural standards for interacting with them.
Doctors Responsibilities & Care:
Medical professionals owe it to transgender women to listen to their concerns, diagnose them accurately, and show empathy as they work to address their health issues. Medical examinations should take place in a setting where patients do not experience stigma, shame, or embarrassment. The specific medical requirements of transgender women must be recognised by medical professionals. Some of the most important things to watch out for and do are:
This underserved population need the attention of psychologists, endocrinologists, and gynaecologists who have studied and worked with transgender people.
Hormone treatment plays a significant role in the gender verification process for several transgender women. The use of oestrogen treatment to mimic a woman's natural hormones is widespread. In order to reduce dangers like blood clotting and liver malfunction, doctors should have a solid grasp of the hormone, its possible adverse effects, and the need of continuous monitoring.
Health care practitioners should assess and monitor any hazards associated with hormone treatment for transgender women, considering its value. Ensuring the safety and efficacy of hormone treatment requires a comprehensive evaluation of each patient's medical history, identification of potential risk factors, and joint management with experts. By using a comprehensive strategy, we can make sure that transgender women are getting the care they need as they seek gender verification.
Expert medical professionals should be prepared to provide appropriate treatment choices, such as hormone replacement medication, as well as preventative measures, such as safe sexual counselling and access to pre-publicity prophylaxis (PREP) for HIV prevention.
Preventative health care strategies that are particular to transgender people should be widely known by doctors. It is important to consider any specific considerations related to hormone medication or ascribed sexual characteristics when implementing routine screenings for diseases like cervical and breast cancer.
It is important for general practitioners to be mindful of the mental health challenges that transgender women may encounter. They may provide support by connecting transgender people with resources and mental health experts who specialise in gender dysphoria.
Timely and proper assistance, along with humble treatment, is vital for healthcare providers when dealing with people experiencing symptoms of gender dysphoria. Due to gender dysphoria, societal rejection, and difficulties receiving health treatment, many transgender women may suffer from significant levels of anxiety, despair, and stress. Mental health providers owe it to transgender women to provide a welcoming space where they may feel comfortable talking about their experiences. A feeling of belonging, higher self-esteem, and coping skills may all result from this.
Hormone treatment has not eliminated the possibility of cancer in transgender women. To catch any irregularities early, mammograms and routine breast exams are essential. For transgender women who have not had surgery to establish their gender, cervical cancer screening is very necessary. Medical professionals owe it to transgender women to provide them with these preventative services and to provide an accepting space where they may feel comfortable discussing their health issues.
very person whose biological gender is determined at birth, including transgender women, should have routine screenings for cervical and breast cancers. Screening on a regular basis improves treatment results and decreases death rates by allowing early detection and action. Screening for breast cancer should begin at age 50 with mammograms, however screening for high-risk people may be necessary before. To ensure appropriate interpretation of mammograms, transgender women should advise their healthcare providers of any unusual breast tissue structure, particularly if they have had hormone treatment. Hormone treatment does not get rid of the necessity for pap smears or other cervical cancer screenings, which should be done every three years for individuals aged 21 to 65, unless a doctor tells a transgender woman otherwise. No matter the hormone treatment a transgender woman receives, her health care plan should always include routine cancer screening.
Transgender women should be respectfully informed by their doctors about the need of maintaining a balanced diet, getting plenty physical exercise, and getting adequate sleep. Furthermore, they need to encourage them to give up smoking and drug use.
Healthcare providers have a responsibility to make their offices and clinics comfortable and safe places to work. The personnel should be trained to be attentive to the requirements of transgender patients, and the waiting spaces and bathrooms should be inclusive as well.
Challenges of Doctors:
When treating transgender women, physicians still have worries, despite their extensive training and experience in the field. Here are a few examples:
Not all transgender women are out and proud about their transition. Women are afraid of being stereotyped or discriminated against. As a result, patients may have misleading or missing information in their medical records, which might impact their treatment choices.
When patients skip out on their scheduled treatments or visits, doctors have little recourse.
It has come to light that some transgender women put their health at danger by attempting to self-medicate their hormone issues.
Because they may feel unsafe, anxious, or mistreated by healthcare professionals, transgender women may forego regular health tests.
Problems with mental health might arise for transgender women as a result of gender dysphoria and prejudice. Mental health care and treatment may meet with resistance or hesitation from patients' families and friends.
When patients engage in risky sexual behaviours or use addictive substances, doctors face a challenging situation.
Conclusion:
We have made an attempt to go into depth on transgender women, their biological and physical differences, their specific health care requirements, and the limits of general practitioners' efforts to meet those needs in the preceding essay. Along with the challenges and problems that transgender women face, we have also investigated the role that competent and experienced medical professionals play in their care.
In order to ensure the health of their underprivileged patients, medical professionals have an obligation to close the gap and cultivate a connection characterised by humility and respect.
Keywords:
transgender
gender identity
hormone therapy
health care
mental health
gender dysphoria
societal context
primary care physicians
universal healthcare
reproductive health
addiction
preventative care
challenges of doctors
hormone treatment risks
gender-affirming care
