'Biologically mom but legally dad': Doctors find transgender man 5 months pregnant during sex change surgery

NEW DELHI: In an unprecedented case, an Italian transgender man learned that he was five months pregnant while undergoing a sex change operation, reported the New York Post.

Macro had already undergone a breast removal operation and was preparing to get rid of the uterus when doctors discovered the pregnancy. The unique case has added him to the list of a rare group of 'seahorse dads.' The term 'seashore dad' is derived from the fact that among seahorses, the males carry and give birth to their child.

“Having discovered the pregnancy, the first thing to do is to suspend [hormone] therapy immediately,” Dr Giulia Senofonte, an endocrinologist, told La Repubblica, which first reported the incident. The expert on gender therapy warned that the fetus could be at risk.

“If the halting of the therapy is not immediate, there could be consequences, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, which is an important time for the development of the baby’s organs,” Senofonte added.

“It’s difficult to talk about it in abstract terms, but it all depends on the timing of the suspension of the dosages of testosterone that the person is taking,” Senofonte said.

According to the Times of London, Senofonte said high levels of male and female hormones in the parent's body carry cardiological risk because of possible blood pressure and coagulation problems.

“Hormone therapy blocks the menstrual cycle but it is not a contraceptive. The person can continue to ovulate and, consequently, runs the risk of pregnancy,” she said.

“People dealing with transition usually recommend contraceptive pills that can be used during hormone therapy,” the expert added.

Marco, who is expected to go through with the pregnancy, will be the child’s biological mom but will be registered legally as the dad, reported La Repubblica.