Infertility is a difficult experience to experience, but it is 1 in 6 people Adults all over the world. There are a wide range of reproductive health issues that can cause infertility, and each experience is different.
Medical technology continues to advance and gives people more options when it comes to fertility medicine. One is a uterine transplant.
In 2014, the first successful uterine transplant took place in Sweden. Not only can you get a uterine transplant, but those who have undergone this life-changing procedure have continued to have healthy pregnancy.
Who is eligible for a uterine transplant?
Uterine transplantation is a major surgery and is recommended only for certain individuals. These are some of the reasons why someone has a uterine transplant.
- They were born without a uterus.
- They received a Hysterectomy (Uterine removal) In cases of cancer or benign medical conditions.
- They were diagnosed Uterine factor infertility (UFI) – affects up to 5% of women worldwide.
It depends on your healthcare provider and where you live, but eligible candidates usually need to be classified into other criteria, such as having health, non-smokers and between the ages of 21 and 40.
Different hospitals have different criteria for eligibility. For example, some people have no history of diabetes or severe kidney disease, or have no history of cancer for at least five years. HIV Or hepatitis B or C
Additionally, some hospitals may require participants to have a stable relationship for a certain period of time before undergoing surgery, regardless of their sexual orientation.
How does uterine transplant work?
The entire uterine transplant process, including pregnancy, usually takes 2-5 years. After being considered a qualified candidate, it must match an eligible donor as it can be a rigorous process in itself. Ideally, this is from a family, but not necessary.
Uterine donations can come from living or deceased people. Similar to patient eligibility, different hospitals have different criteria for donors. Many hospitals must be a woman between 30 and 50 years old, complete a “child resistance” year, be healthy in general and negative for HIV, hepatitis, go disease, chlamydia and herpes.
Before undergoing the implantation process, the patient must have an embryo generated from the egg or donor’s egg. Eggs are harvested using IVF A process that involves taking fertile medicine to produce eggs and removing it. The eggs are then fertilized using partner sperm or donor sperm, and the resulting embryos are frozen for later use.
Transplant It involves removing the uterus from the donor and surgically placing it in the recipient. After that, the patient must take immunosuppressive medications to prevent rejection of the uterus implanted and continue taking them during the transplant.
Pregnancy after uterine transplantation
What distinguishes uterine transplants from most other transplant surgeries is that the uterus is not a medically necessary organ, and the uterine transplant is not removed after pregnancy unless you want to get pregnant.
Therefore, the main goal of uterine transplantation is that people can become pregnant and term their baby. Still, since this is a major surgery, patients must go through a recovery period before they can begin the IVF process.
There is usually a minimum of six months of recovery time between the transplant surgery and when someone can get pregnant. After the recovery period, the patient passes through the IVF using frozen embryos before implantation. Unlike traditional IVF, only one embryo is usually embedded at once.
Patients must also continue taking immunosuppressant medications during pregnancy. Successful transplantation is still considered a high-risk pregnancy, and the baby is born via Caesarean section (C section), and relatively early at 35 weeks. Most babies born through uterine transplants are premature, so staying in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may be required.
Trans woman uterine transplantation
When it comes to uterine transplantation, another important application is gender-affirming care. According to World Health Organization (WHO), gender-maintaining care encompasses a variety of social, psychological, behavioral and medical interventions designed to support and affirm an individual’s gender identity when it conflicts with the gender assigned at birth.
Trans women (AFABs) assigned a woman at birth may want the option to carry their children during pregnancy – something that a uterine transplant can offer.
It is important to note that gender-maintaining care appears different to everyone. Some trans women may want constructive vaginal surgery and uterine transplantation, while others may not. Even those who have had vaginoplasty may not want a child or may not have the desire to get pregnant. There are no known cases at this time Trans women It is possible if you have undergone a uterine transplant.
Uterine transplant complications
Like other medical procedures, there are potential complications when it comes to uterine transplants. Patients should undergo a series of medical procedures and surgery, including IVF, C-section, implantation and removal.
In many hospitals, this surgery is a minimal invasive procedure performed with robotic surgery. The greatest potential risks of uterine transplantation include:
- Nerve damage
- Blood vessel damage
- Intestinal, bladder, or ureteral damage
- Responses to immunosuppressive drugs including diabetes and kidney damage
How to Find a Uterine Transplant Provider
The technology is still in its early stages, but as of May 2023, it has moved past clinical trials. As of 2020, around 100 uterine transplants have been performed worldwide, but the number has since grown and is available in countries such as the United States, Sweden, the Czech Republic, India and Turkey.
Some people may practice medical tourism to find the best care at the prices they have access to. Uterine transplants are mostly performed at research hospitals. It is important to conduct intensive research to find the best possible care for providers who practice within a specific legal and ethical framework.
The drug continues to improve every day, and uterine transplantation is just a revolutionary advance in the field of fertility and reproduction.
