Date of Award

Summer 8-22-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Counseling Psychology

First Advisor

Trisha L. Raque

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Reproductive justice, Gender diverse, Perinatal healthcare, Well-being, Birth

Abstract

Gender diverse birthing individuals face several systemic barriers to accessing affirming and empowering perinatal healthcare. The present study utilizes the term gender diverse and the abbreviation TGE to describe those who self-identify as broadly non-cisgender, an umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth. Gender identities that may be included in this definition include transgender/trans, gender expansive, non-binary, gender fluid, gender nonconforming, gender variant, gender queer/queer, and/or agender. Gender diverse individuals face unique barriers in perinatal healthcare due to the pervasiveness of cisnormativity in perinatal healthcare spaces. Research has documented the harm caused to this population in healthcare spaces as perinatal healthcare systems are falling short in meeting the needs of gender diverse birthing individuals and families. The research examining what supports well-being and empowerment for gender diverse birthing individuals and families is limited. Access to affirming and safe healthcare is a central tenet of reproductive justice (RJ). As a critical intersectional feminist framework, reproductive justice is well-suited to guide this research seeking to center the voices of gender diverse birthing individuals, a marginalized population. This study applies a reproductive justice framework to qualitatively examine the perinatal healthcare experiences of 12 gender diverse birthing parents across the United States. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and semi-structured individual interviews addressing (a) perinatal healthcare experiences along the journey to parenthood; (b) how perinatal healthcare experiences impacted gender diverse birthing parents’ subjective well-being during the perinatal period; (c) what other factors impact and support gender diverse birthing parents’ well-being during the perinatal period; (d) how perinatal healthcare systems can change to better meet the needs of all birthing parents. Consensual Qualitative Research methodology elicited seven domains: Intentionality and Queer Family Building, Experiences of Self, Qualities of Affirming Healthcare, Unmet Needs and Barriers, Systemic Social Messaging and Gendered Narratives of Pregnancy and Parenthood, Protective Factors: Coping, Resilience, Social Support, and Envisioning the Future in Perinatal Healthcare. Results contribute to scholarly knowledge by centering the perinatal healthcare experiences of gender diverse birthing parents, a historically underserved population, and by informing responsive, affirming clinical practice and healthcare delivery to better meet the needs of gender diverse birthing parents and families.

Copyright Date

8-2026

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Orphea D. Wright

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

247 pgs

File Size

1.1 MB

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