SynthesisInternational breastfeeding journal2026
Sexual and gender minority parents' experiences of lactation: a meta-ethnographic review.
Synthesis in International breastfeeding journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAlthough lactation has been widely studied, existing evidence largely reflects heterosexual and cisgender parents' experiences. Sexual and gender minority (SGM) parents may face distinct embodied, social, and healthcare-related factors that shape lactation and access to support. This study aimed to synthesise and interpret existing qualitative research on SGM parents' experiences of lactation.
methodsA systematic literature review following a meta-ethnographic method developed by Noblit and Hare was conducted. The analysis involved a synthesis informed by queer theory and an intersectional perspective.
resultsOf the 528 screened records, 16 qualitative studies were included in the review. The analysis resulted in the core theme; Normative assumptions as barriers to lactation, which describes the main obstacles for a satisfactory lactation experience for SGM parents. The following four subordinate themes were identified: Layers of vulnerability and resilience; Negotiating identity through lactation; Creating connection through lactation and; The importance of support during lactation.
conclusionsLactation is commonly framed by normative assumptions about heterosexuality, cisgender identity, womanhood, and motherhood. SGM parents may not conform to one or more of these assumptions, which can create barriers to positive lactation and infant-feeding experiences. These findings highlight the need for inclusive and affirming lactation care, as well as intersectional research on how identity markers shape SGM parents' experiences. Prejudice, cis- and heteronormative assumptions, and limited professional knowledge indicate important gaps in current healthcare practice.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.