Introduction
Sexual minority individuals who are pregnant or want to become pregnant
face worse pregnancy outcomes than heterosexual
patients.1, 2 The American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists (ACOG) endorses quality care to all people regardless
of sexual orientation or gender identity.3, 4 This
includes providing gender affirming care throughout a patient’s
pregnancy, acknowledging risk factors for diverse sexual minority
populations that affect reproductive outcomes, and utilizing appropriate
evidence-based clinical recommendations to tailor
care.3, 4 Despite that, these patients still encounter
many barriers to health care and have limited access to obstetric care
and fertility clinics.3, 5 As clinicians and
scientists, it is crucial that we continue to promote equitable care to
pregnant individuals of any background.
The aim of this commentary is to describe pregnancy outcomes of sexual
minority individuals, identify research gaps, describe clinical
perspectives, and propose future directions from a research, clinical
care, and educational perspective.