Improving the quality and access of sexual and reproductive healthcare for 2SLGBTQ people living in Canada
Rainbow Health Ontario has received funding from Health Canada to develop and pilot four new virtual training courses that address the sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) needs of 2SLGBTQ people in Canada. These interactive courses will provide Health Care Providers (HCPs) working in every province and territory with important information, practical skills, and useful tools to better meet the SRH needs of their 2SLGBTQ patients.
Each course is co-facilitated by a Rainbow Health Ontario educator and a registered HCP, and focuses on a key topic within 2SLGBTQ sexual and reproductive healthcare. These courses are relevant for a wide range of practitioners, including physicians, midwives, counsellors, and nurses. Course hand-out materials have been specifically designed to include important location-specific information, such as provincial and territorial funding for fertility services.
To be eligible to attend a pilot course, participants must hold a professional HCP designation; practice in Canada; and must complete Rainbow Health Ontario’s 2SLGBTQ Foundations Course (Disponible en Français aussi.)
Meeting the sexual and reproductive health and wellness needs of 2SLGBTQ patients
2SLGBTQ people have specific care needs when it comes to sexual and reproductive health. This course builds HCP capacity to address fertility preservation concerns regarding gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgeries. Participants will learn about contraception options, pregnancy termination options and their relation to gender-identity and gender dysphoria. The course also covers general sexual health and wellness (i.e., STBBIs, and safer sex practices) and teaches a trauma-informed approach to conducting affirming pelvic exams.
Providing inclusive and affirming fertility and family planning care to 2SLGBTQ patients
This course offers supportive tools for health care providers to provide affirming fertility and family planning care to 2SLGBTQ people. Participants will learn about medical and at-home options for conception, and a wide range of family building options (i.e., adoption, surrogacy, and accessing donor gametes). This course also covers evidence-based options for health care support around gender-affirming fertility care; HIV and fertility; navigating hormone therapy and fertility; and the types of HCPs that can support service users on their fertility journeys.
Caring for 2SLGBTQ parents-to-be
This course increases HCP capacity to offer gender-affirming pregnancy and prenatal care to 2SLGBTQ clients, with specific attention given to trans-masculine and non-binary pregnancies. Participants will learn how to support patients navigating gender dysphoria during pregnancy. This course also covers the impacts of pregnancy loss.
Meeting the perinatal, postpartum and newborn care needs of 2SLGBTQ parents
This course builds HCP knowledge of 2SLGBTQ pregnancy and post-partum mental health. Participants will learn practice-oriented strategies for inducing and suppressing lactation, as well as chest feeding. This course also includes an overview of gender-affirming practices following pregnancy, such as navigating gender dysphoria, restarting HRT, and safe chest binding practices.
Project Partners
• Women’s College Hospital – Canadian HIV Pregnancy Planning Guidelines https://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/news-and-publications/Connect-2018/new-canadian-guidelines-for-hiv-pregnancy-planning
• TransCare BC – http://www.phsa.ca/transcarebc/
• The Association of Ontario Midwives – https://www.ontariomidwives.ca
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