There’s new hope for women unable to bear children because they don’t have a uterus, with surgeons in the United States performing the country’s first successful uterus transplant.
The procedure, while still experimental, could give thousands of women who were born without a uterus, or who have lost theirs to disease, the chance to fall pregnant and give birth.
While exact details of the successful transplant are yet to be released, the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic said the nine hour surgery was performed on a 26 year old woman using a uterus from a deceased donor. The woman is recovering well.
The Cleveland Clinic announced last autumn that they would begin a clinical trial that would attempt 10 transplants. Other countries have tried womb transplants, with Sweden reporting five successful procedures and healthy babies so far.
Some have questioned whether the procedure would be a realistic option for many women, given its medical risks including rejection of the transplant and the need for the patient to take strong immune-suppressing drugs.
The transplant isn’t life saving, unlike kidney or heart transplants, but is classed as ‘life enhancing’. It is not meant to last for a lifetime, just long enough to allow the woman to give birth to one or two children.
Whilst a lot more drastic than options like surrogacy, there is no doubt the procedure could offer a solution to many women unable to experience the joy of carrying their own children. However, it remains to be seen how accessible and expensive this transplant will be.
I've been pregnant twice and couldn’t imagine having missed out on feeling the kicks of my own little ones while they were in my womb. However, I’m not sure I could willingly undergo such a huge procedure. To me, it almost sounds like something you'd see in a futuristic Sci-Fi movie.
What do you think - if you weren’t able to carry your own children, would you consider it?
Top Comments
Ofcourse in future may be the transplantation of fetus will be available. But no today, not for now. And believe me there will be a lot of people in future who will say about ethical side of fetus transplantation. But for today we have surrogacy. So we must accept it. I am infertile and it is not my fault. It is also not a
fault of my husband. So why people think they have a right to judge us? I just wanted to be a mother and I didn’t consider any moral issues. We just needed money. Cause the procedure is extremely expensive in US. We like a blinded people were happy to try it in India. But thanks God we failed the att, cause we saw so many newborns with abnormalities. We were scared of it so much. When we found money First we visited USA and were impressed with high prices. Ye, of course service is perfect in American clinics, its European level. Ukraine is called a country of third world… And it can be seen in many aspects but it has
a lot of advantages which it step by step has been developing. And reproductive medicine is one of them. There are great doctors in Ukrainian medical centers and they really work wonders in reproductive sphere. Finally we went in Ukraine. It should be mentioned that in such countries it is important to be
careful with cheaters around. We didn’t contact agencies. We went directly in clinic, which is very popular among foreigners. They propose economy package for 30 ths euro. Food supply, accommodation, transportation in Ukraine, medicine supply and treatment were included. Oh and the most important unlimited atts! Now I am extremely happy ) And just want to say that don’t
afraid to try your luck. It is just a treatment, and money is not a problem, there are a lot of options with different prices. Just importsnt to calm down and settle all info.