A new guide for doctors recommends using terms like “breastfeeding” and “pregnant person” to be more comprehensive.
Midwives and gynaecologists should replace the term “breastfeeding” with “mother” and use terms such as “gestating parent” or “pregnant person”, according to guidelines revealed in a new report.
Also, “parent” should actually be “a member of your support team.”
And instead of breast milk, the group recommends “human milk” or “milk from the parent feeding the baby.”
That’s according to a progressive group of midwives and academics in the US, UK and Australia, who say dozens of terms related to parenting and childbirth should be replaced with more “inclusive” words.
New guidance suggests switching from breastfeeding to “breastfeeding” to be more inclusive
The guide, published in May and published in the magazine Birth: Problems in perinatal careIt is not a set of legally binding standards, but rather a recommendation for healthcare providers.
The group wrote: ‘We highlight that midwifery, instead, has the opportunity to be effective in its advocacy for human and reproductive rights for all by adopting inclusive language that reflects its intersectional commitment to reproductive justice.
‘Ultimately, midwifery has an ethical duty and opportunity to lead gender decolonization and reproductive justice through the use of inclusive language.’
Both midwives and gynecologists are experts in prenatal care, however, midwives are not physicians and the scope of their duties varies by state.
This guide is not the only one to have proposed gender-neutral changes like these. Others published in recent years have recommended terms like “chesticles” for breasts and “d*cklets” for the clitoris.
However, medical experts have argued that language like this could do more harm than good, “dehumanising” mothers and creating unrealistic expectations for trans parents.
To argue for more “inclusive” language, the group cited a case study of a patient named Sam, a trans man with abdominal pain that tested positive on a home pregnancy test.
Sam told hospital staff he was a trans man, but providers failed to recognize he had gone into premature labor “due to systems, biases, and stereotypes related to his gender presentation and identity,” such as assuming he wasn’t pregnant or couldn’t carry a pregnancy.
Sam’s baby died from umbilical cord prolapse, which occurs when the umbilical cord falls out of the uterus before the fetus, cutting off blood flow to the fetus.
The researchers argued that if Sam’s attention had been focused on the fact that he still had female sexual organs and was capable of maintaining a pregnancy, doctors could have found the prolapsed cord in time to prevent the death of the fetus.
However, assuming that only “women” could carry a pregnancy caused harm to Sam and her fetus.
The authors concluded that in institutions where traditional gender roles are reinforced and alternative possibilities are not considered, patient health outcomes are worse.
Meanwhile, a 2022 study published in the journal Frontiers in global women’s health She said “gendered” language like “mother” is crucial to avoid confusion during situations like childbirth.
The researchers wrote: ‘The desexuation of female reproductive language has been undertaken with the intention of being sensitive to individual needs and being beneficial, kind and inclusive.
‘However, this kindness has had unintended consequences that have serious implications for women and children.
‘Women have unique experiences, needs and rights in relation to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding that are not shared with other women. It cannot be assumed that a woman’s interests coincide with those of her husband or partner.’
The team opposing the new guidance argued that nearly 4 million babies die each year worldwide, and the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world; therefore, “the best interests of the child are paramount” and using clear language is essential to reducing those deaths.
The midwives, however, argued that as midwifery is a traditionally female profession, it is their duty to promote language as “a manifestation of feminism in action”.
To be more inclusive, one of their suggestions is to replace the term “gynecologist” with “reproductive health specialists,” since the former is derived from “gyneco,” meaning “woman” in Greek.
Last year, trans woman Mika Minio-Paluello came under fire after posting a photo that appeared to show her breastfeeding her baby on a bus.
In 2018, the editors of the magazine Advances in neonatal care They proposed similar changes. That is, they said they would no longer publish articles that used the words “breast milk.”
Instead, the words ‘human milk’, ‘mother’s own milk’, ‘father’s own milk’ or ‘donor human milk’ are now preferred.
And the editors continued: ‘Whenever possible, the use of the word “lactation” rather than “breastfeeding” is also preferred.’
However, while the NIH style guide says that “breastfeeding” should be an option when discussing breastfeeding, it adds that “breastfeeding will not replace the word breastfeeding.”
Critics have expressed that replacing “breastfeeding” with “breast-feeding” or “breast milk” with “human milk” could create unrealistic expectations for trans women who may not be physically able to breastfeed.
In other proposals for more inclusive language, California pediatrician Dr. Ilana Sherer proposed that doctors call the vagina the “frontal hole” and the penis the “external hole.”
During a presentation at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in October, she proposed calling breasts “chests” or “chesticles.” For male anatomy, Dr. Sherer recommended that pediatricians call the penis “outie,” “junk,” “strapless” or “bits.”
Her suggestions, presented during a workshop titled “Discussing Gender and Sexuality in the Primary Care Office,” also included referring to the vagina as the “innie,” “front hole” or “T-hole” and the clitoris as the “d*ck” or “d*cklet.”
Despite the pressure, doctors have previously warned against politicizing medical language because it could confuse public health messages, especially for people for whom English is not their first language.