NHS bosses allegedly ‘blocked’ the publication of health advice for pregnant trans and non-binary people for almost a year.
Resources were collated for nhs.uk from research into the issues affecting pregnant people who do not identify as either male or female.
An NHS whistleblower has claimed that the delay in publishing them was because of transphobic views held by senior figures within management, The I paper reported.
“We publish information about all sorts of health conditions, we have a big pregnancy section, and things would never take a year, or this long, to go through,” the person stated. “This was a big piece of research, made by speaking to a whole range of people – different genders – to understand their user needs.”
Fears over the information not being published were expressed in a virtual meeting held by some of the staff members waiting to do so.
“I’m waiting to see if someone spills the beans on the senior individuals who are blocking our trans pregnancy content section which has been ready to release for too long,” one manager stated, according to a screenshot seen by The I.
Since news of the alleged delay in publication broke, the NHS website has been updated with guidance for LGBTQ+ people wanting to become parents:
- Having a baby if you’re LGBT+
- Ways to become a parent if you’re LGBT+
- Testosterone and pregnancy
- Chestfeeding if you’re trans or non-binary
“The NHS website provides information for everyone, and we add pages to the site to keep it in line with the best clinical evidence and make it as helpful as possible to everyone who needs it,” an NHS spokesperson told GAY TIMES.
A study conducted in 2022 by the LGBT Foundation found that “30% of respondents did not access NHS or private support during their pregnancy or pregnancies.”
Furthermore, “nearly 3 in 10 trans and non-binary birthing parents said they were not treated with dignity and respect during labour and birth”.
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