Lawmaker claims CDC lacks credibility due to promotion of ‘chestfeeding’.

Transgender Individuals and Infant Feeding: CDC’s Controversial Guidance

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for transgender individuals seeking to “chestfeed” their infants has sparked concerns among lawmakers. It appears that the agency’s focus on political correctness may be overshadowing patient health.

On the CDC website, under “Health Equity Considerations,” the agency states, “Transgender and nonbinary-gendered individuals may give birth and breastfeed or feed at the chest (chestfeed).” The CDC also encourages medical professionals to use patients’ preferred pronouns and emphasizes that an individual does not need to have given birth to breastfeed or chestfeed.

Another webpage on breastfeeding guidance for those who have had breast surgery instructs healthcare providers to be familiar with the medical, emotional, and social aspects of gender transitions. It acknowledges that some transgender parents may wish to breastfeed or chestfeed their infants and highlights areas where they might need assistance, such as maximizing milk production and medication to induce lactation.

The CDC’s website also provides a link to a pdf from the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, which mentions anecdotal reports of men who identify as transgender producing breastmilk.

‘Absolute Insanity’

Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), a former White House physician, expressed his disbelief in the CDC’s guidance during an interview with Donald Trump Jr. He called it “ludicrous” and suggested that physicians supporting such guidance should have their medical licenses revoked.

Similarly, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), an obstetrician, took to Twitter to criticize the CDC. He stated that a biological male filled with hormones and other drugs that could harm a baby should never attempt to naturally feed a newborn. He questioned when the Left would realize the consequences of their actions.

According to the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, the only published case report of induced lactation in a biological male involved the use of domperidone. However, domperidone is not legally approved for use in the United States due to potential health risks to both mother and child. The FDA has warned against its use for enhancing lactation since 2004.

The CDC’s guidance has raised concerns about prioritizing political correctness over patient safety and the potential risks associated with using unapproved drugs for breastfeeding.