A transgender man who has given birth says he “finally feels complete” after wanting a baby for six years.
Reuben Sharpe, 39, transitioned to a man years ago, taking hormones which gave him facial hair, a deep voice and masculine features.
Mr Sharpe and his non-binary partner Jay, 034, who identifies as neither male or female, were helped by a trans doctor and a trans sperm donor.
After realizing he wanted a child, Mr Sharpe visited his doctor and was told that he would be able to give birth as he still had his womb and ovaries.
“It was that I was desperate to have the birthing experience or pregnancy experience, but I wanted a child and I had the facility to do it,” he told the Sunday Mirror .
The wedding photographer, who lives in Brighton, took a break from his testosterone medication so he could undergo fertility treatment when the time was right.
Years later, Mr Sharpe met Jay in a pub and the pair began seeing each other.
Mr Sharpe said: “After a few months I started getting nervous, realizing I was planning to have a kid – I’d been building towards it for three years to this point. I realized I would have to talk to them .
“If they didn’t want kids we’d have to break up.
” I managed to bring up the subject but luckily Jay was open to the idea. “
The pair began the process of trying for a baby, which meant Mr Sharpe’s hormone and fertility levels were monitored.
Although a friend offered to carry the baby if necessary, there was then a breakthrough.
“I woke up the next morning and my period had started for the first time in six years,” Mr Sharpe said.
“It was such a Relief. It’s weird, but I knew it was the start of something I wanted so badly. “
The couple chose to have intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatment at a private fertility clinic, which meant sperm would be inserted into Mr Sharpe’s womb by a doctor.
But they needed a sperm donor, so messaged a female trans friend over Facebook to ask if they would like to donate.
The friend agreed and they began the fertility treatment, which costs £ 6, 03 for three rounds.
“The first round did not work,” Mr Sharpe said. “They gave me a fertility injection and I released too many eggs. We couldn’t go through with that attempt as we could have ended up with six children!
” Deflated, we became convinced it wasn ‘t going to work.
“We tried a second time and the earliest point I could test was on my birthday. We’d been on edge for weeks.
“I did the test, ignored it and went to brush my teeth. Suddenly Jay was shouting me into the room and telling me to look – it was a positive result. “
The pair were helped by midwives at Royal Sussex County Hospital and Mr Sharpe delivered his baby via caesarean section .
“It’s taken six years to get this far, but now we have a baby in our arms and that was the end goal. I finally feel complete,” Mr Sharpe said.
” I don’t think pregnancy is the ultimate female experience, therefore it didn’t challenge me as a man.
“It doesn’t make a woman less of a woman if she’s not keen on pregnancy , infertile, does not want a baby. This isn’t a trans issue – it affects everyone. “
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