When we think of organ transplants: hearts, lungs, kidneys, and livers usually come to mind first. Recently in the UK and other countries, uterus transplants are being tested out to help infertile women who were born without a uterus or had to have a hysterectomy due to cancer. In the article, "Womb Transplant Leads to Successful Birth for Swedish Mother, " by Peniel M. Dimberu, he discusses the history and medical procedures the 35-year-old Swedish women had to go through to deliver a baby. Dimberu states the woman was born with congenital Rokitansky syndrome. The author describes the surgery for the uterus transplant was about 10 hours, and a 61-year-old close friend was the donor. .
After the surgery, the woman was monitored for about a year before giving her IVF treatments. During this time, she had three mild cases of rejection but it was treated with immunosuppressive drugs. The pregnancy lasted only to the 32nd week because the woman developed pre-eclampsia. According to Dimberu, pre-eclampsia probably occurred because of the mother missing a kidney and IVF treatments could have cause it. This could be a great option for women who are not capable of carrying a child because of a lack of a uterus, but it embed some ethical issues. .
First, the donor has to go through major surgery in order to donate her uterus. According to the article, "Livebirth after uterus transplantation, " the donor would not only have her uterus removed but also a large portion of surrounding vessels, so it ensures an adequate blood flow for the recipient. Even after the uterus is placed in the recipient, there is no guarantee that it will be able to bear a child or the woman's body will not reject it. Majority of the donors are either mothers to the recipient or a close relative. Being so close to the recipient can cloud the donor's judgment, and they may feel pressure to help. This procedure can be very risky for the donor and it raises a question whether the benefits outweighs the risks.
