In 2023, Rw and Frankie, who live in rural Canterbury, became parents to a baby girl named Hiwa-i-te-Rangi.
Their experience with fertility treatments and multiple miscarriages had led them to believe that it was not possible to have a child.
Frankie vomited during a New Year’s Eve party on the South Island, which led to their unexpected pregnancy.
After returning home, Frankie said that they initially thought that their environment was unsanitary. She then decided to take a pregnancy test. After performing the test, she immediately showed Rw the positive result.
Rw didn’t react when he saw the test results. The couple then took a shower in silence, and they were both stunned by the news.
They were thrilled at the prospect of becoming parents, but they were also worried about the future.
According to Frankie, many people who start taking testosterone are led to believe that it can cause infertility.
However, there have been only a few studies on this topic. Before they started trying to have children, she had to wait several months to burn through the stored testosterone.
It eventually became clear that the main reason for their multiple miscarriages was Frankie’s hypothyroid condition.
After being referred to the endocrine team by the GP, she was able to change her treatment to accommodate her pregnancy.
Frankie had also experienced gender dysphoria, which was a type of distress caused by a mismatch between the sex that one was assigned at birth and their sense of their identity.
She was worried that this feeling could return once the physical changes started to happen.
Prior to her transition, Frankie had experienced gender dysphoria. This time around, her body was intentionally altered to make her feel more comfortable.
Throughout her transition, Frankie experienced various physical changes. One of these was transitioning from being a woman to a man.
The couple had been preparing for doomsday, as they were worried that her body would become more feminine. However, after experiencing the changes, they were surprised by how they worked out.
They also prepared for the various complications that would come with being a trans pregnant woman in the healthcare system.
Rw stated that he felt that he had a moral obligation to ensure that Frankie was safe. While there were moments of confusion, such as when a blood clinic told them that their tests were only for women, the clinic that they went to in their rural area was on board with their plan.
When Rw and Frankie told their friends and relatives about their pregnancy, there was a lot of screaming. Rw said that it was a very lovely experience, and everybody loved being the aunty and uncle.
The couple also stated that they had a profound sense of love for their unborn child.
They will be sharing their journey as parents in a documentary that will be aired on TVNZ on November 11. It will also feature their heartbreaking experiences with multiple miscarriages and their decision to stop taking testosterone.