The Dairy Discovery: Trans Women's Milk Stuns Scientists
Breast milk has long been hailed as the ultimate elixir for babies, providing a plethora of health benefits that are unparalleled by any other form of sustenance. However, recent revelations from health experts at a National Health Services Trust in the UK have stirred up quite the storm in the breastfeeding world. According to a report by The Telegraph, breast milk produced by trans women is deemed to be just as nourishing and beneficial for infants as milk produced by cisgender mothers who have given birth.
In a leaked letter from the University of Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, the assertion was made that the milk generated by trans women undergoing hormone and drug-based therapy to induce lactation is “comparable to that produced following the birth of a baby.” This revelation has once again brought the practice of trans women breastfeeding into the limelight, sparking debates and controversies across the UK. It seems that every aspect of trans individuals’ lives is subject to scrutiny and debate, and breastfeeding is no exception.
The process of inducing lactation in trans women and individuals assigned male at birth involves the use of gender-affirming hormones such as estradiol, a type of estrogen, in conjunction with medications like domperidone. Domperidone helps stimulate the production of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production. Interestingly, many cisgender women who face challenges with breastfeeding also turn to domperidone to enhance lactation, despite the manufacturer’s caution against its use due to potential side effects on the nursing infant.
The National Institutes for Health’s LactMed database highlights that there have been no adverse effects reported in a limited number of cases involving infants breastfed by mothers taking domperidone. The NHS Trust, in alignment with this data, has endorsed the safety of using this drug to induce lactation. Despite the documented benefits of hormonal therapies for breastfeeding in both cis and trans women, the practice has not been without its detractors. Lottie Moore from the thinktank Policy Exchange criticized the NHS Trust’s stance, claiming it to be “unbalanced and naïve” in asserting that a trans woman’s milk could nourish an infant akin to a biological mother’s milk.
It is worth noting the stark difference in reactions when medically induced breastfeeding was predominantly associated with cisgender women and surrogate mothers, as highlighted by Slate during a previous wave of backlash. The current discourse surrounding trans women breastfeeding reflects a broader trend of transphobia and discrimination that continues to pervade society. Despite the scientific evidence supporting the nutritional value of breast milk produced by trans women, societal biases and prejudices continue to cloud the conversation around this natural and essential act of nurturing.
