Implantation to help pregnant women

In the future, women without an uterus, abnormal uterus or for some reason who have had a hysterectomy may still have a chance to become pregnant. Scientists at New York Central Hospital (USA) are studying to be able to conduct the first uterine transplant in the United States.

Like most donated organs, the uterus can be taken from a dead person. In the past 6 months, about 150 families of relatives in New York have been asked to donate their womb. 9 families agreed and 8 uterus were removed from the dead body under usable conditions.

Usually, such a womb needs to be transplanted within 12 hours, so once the actual transplant is done, the recipient must enter the operating room as soon as the uterus is removed from the dead. .

The recipient of the uterus should be in stable condition and 'integrated' with anti-rejection medication for at least 3 months before becoming pregnant.

They are also required to have frozen stock available. By this time, the embryo will be inserted into the uterus vaginally. Doctors say that fertilizing eggs naturally by having sex right after transplanting will increase the risk of infection.

The child will be born by caesarean birth to limit the risk. After the baby is born, the uterus will be removed, thereby helping recipients will no longer have to take anti-rejection medication.

With the exception of the risks that could affect life during the transplantation process, the biggest concern in this type of transplant is that the recipient has to take a new anti-rejection agent for life.

Previously, in 2000, scientists in Saudi Arabia once performed an uterine transplant from a living person for a woman. However, they were forced to surgically remove it after 3 months of transplantation due to a blood clot in the vein connecting the recipient's body to the uterus. It was the only time the uterus transplanted in the world.

This time, doctors in New York say they will transplant more blood vessels and use more effective anticoagulants to limit the risk.

Anyhow, it is all just a plan and experts say it is unlikely that such transplants could be done in the near future.

KO