Washington, DC ― The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) today reinforced its commitment to improving health outcomes in obstetric care for all people, including people with diverse sexual and gender identities, issuing a special statement, “Commitment to Excellence in Obstetrical Care, Research, and Education for People with Diverse Sexual and Gender Identities,” and announcing educational sessions at its upcoming annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting TM , which will be held virtually from Jan. 31 to Feb. 5, 2022.
“Research shows that people with diverse sexual and gender identities experience poorer health outcomes in general and that includes obstetric care,” says author and SMFM member, Justin Brandt, MD. “Using inclusive language is about shifting the paradigm and helping to improve people’s health.”
The special statement, “Commitment to Excellence in Obstetrical Care, Research, and Education for People with Diverse Sexual and Gender Identities,” is scheduled to be published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG) in early 2022, though the preprint is currently available on the AJOG website .
The statement highlights four primary areas of focus:
In addition, the Society will hold a no-cost special session, “Understanding Intersections: Care for Transgender and Gender Diverse Patient Populations,” and a roundtable, “Optimal Care for People with Diverse Sexual and Gender Identities” on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3, respectively. Both events will be virtual and will feature Trystan Reese, an author and transgender man who has experienced pregnancy, and will be held in conjunction with The Pregnancy Meeting TM .
Adds Brandt, “SMFM is committed to ensuring excellence in obstetric care for all people, which means we need to continue to educate our members and future MFM physicians about the importance of using inclusive language and adopting inclusive clinical practices.”
For more information on SMFM annual meeting events, visit SMFM.org/2022 .