Jump directly to the content
Trans offence fear

Doctors warned not to call pregnant women ‘mum’ to avoid offending transgender patients

BMA urging docs to avoid offending transgender people in a bid to 'celebrate diversity'

Doctors have been warned not to call pregnant women “expectant mothers” to avoid offending transgender patients.

They are told to call them “pregnant people” instead.

Pregnant women
2
The BMA has told doctors not to refer to pregnant patients as 'mum'Credit: PA:Press Association

The British Medical Association advice comes weeks after we revealed Britain’s first pregnant man.

Hayden Cross, 20, of Gloucester, was born a girl but is legally male and has begun hormone treatment.

He has put his transition on hold to have a baby with donor sperm.

 Hayden Cross is Britain’s first pregnant man
2
Hayden Cross is Britain’s first pregnant manCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

There are no other known cases of a pregnant transgender person in the UK.

But the BMA is urging doctors to avoid offending transgender people in a bid to “celebrate diversity”, the Mail on Sunday says.

Its 14-page booklet, called A Guide To Effective Communication: Inclusive Language In The Workplace, says: “A large majority of people that have been pregnant or have given birth identify as women.

“However, there are some intersex men and trans men who may get pregnant.

“We can include intersex men and trans men who may get pregnant by saying ‘pregnant people’ instead of ‘expectant mothers’.”

Tory MP Philip Davies said it was “completely ridiculous”.

He added: “If you can’t call a pregnant woman an expectant mother, then what is the world coming to?”

The BMA has insisted: "This is a guide for BMA staff and representatives aimed at promoting an inclusive workplace at the BMA.

"It is not workplace guidance for doctors, which is clear from the fact it does not refer to patients."

Topics