New study suggests people are more likely to regret having children than gender-affirming surgery

People are more likely to experience regret after elective plastic surgery, getting tattoos, or even becoming parents than they are following gender-affirming surgery.

A recent study in The American Journal of Surgery analysed 55 studies on regret rates associated with typical plastic surgeries and significant life choices. Gender-affirming surgery, which includes mastectomies, breast augmentation, facial, vocal chord, and genital surgeries, exhibits a regret rate of less than 1 percent, considered “extremely low” by the researchers.

Image Credit: Canva

As ‘Advocate’ reports, Regret rates for standard elective plastic surgeries were considerably higher, with up to 47.1 percent of patients regretting breast reconstruction, up to 9.1 percent regretting breast augmentation, and up to 33.3 percent regretting body contouring procedures. Additionally, regret was more prevalent in other surgical specialties: after undergoing a prostatectomy, 30 percent of patients reported regret, and 19.5 percent did after bariatric surgery.

In terms of major life decisions, 16.2 percent of people regretted getting a tattoo and 7 percent regretted having children — figures significantly higher than those for gender-affirming surgery.

In 2023, over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were proposed in the U.S., with 80 becoming law. By 2024, 487 such bills had been introduced, with 21 enacted, as per the American Civil Liberties Union. The majority of these legislative efforts focus on trans minors, prohibiting even reversible non-surgical treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for those under 18. Several states have also imposed limitations on gender-affirming care for trans adults.

Prominent medical organisations including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the World Medical Association, and the World Health Organization all support gender-affirming care as evidence-based and medically necessary, for both adults and minors.

The report's authors criticised those who “seek to restrict access to gender-affirming services, particularly gender-affirming surgery, citing postoperative regret as a rationale for denying care universally.”

“This broad-stroke approach disregards patient autonomy and overlooks the detailed consideration and multidisciplinary methodology involved in the decision to undergo gender-affirming surgery,” they stated. “[Other] procedures, despite having higher regret rates post-operation, do not face the same restrictive and scrutinized measures as gender-affirming surgery.”

Read related myGwork articles here:

Queer women face higher risk of stress, depression during pregnancy, study finds

New study reveals 10% of Americans have history of bisexual behaviour

New study finds that only 1% of trans teens detransition

Almost all trans people are more satisfied with life after transitioning, massive new study finds