The UK’s first-ever successful womb transplant is a huge medical breakthrough – and a huge symbol of hope for thousands of women unable or struggling to get pregnant.
A 40-year-old woman, who has not been named, selflessly donated her womb to her younger sister.
It’s being reported that the donor already has two kids of her own, while her sibling, 34, was born without a womb.
It now looks as if the younger woman may have the opportunity to have children of her own with her husband.
According to the surgeons who conducted the operation, the womb should be “fully functional” now and – in theory – there should now be nothing standing in the way of the recipient conceiving.
Despite being born without a womb, she does have ovaries and has previously undergone IVF to harvest her eggs.
Doctors will now attempt to implant a series of fertilised embryos in the womb, in the hopes that one or more will take.
One of the surgeons involved said that the new womb now means she has an “80 per cent chance” of success, but that they would plan to give her a c-section in order to avoid unnecessary strain on the donated organ.
They would then either have to remove their womb, or potentially attempt to use it to carry a second pregnancy.
The recipient said to be “over the moon” in the wake of the operation and “very, very excited” at the prospect of starting a family.
“I want to have as many children as I can,” she said.
The lengthy surgery took more than 17 hours to complete and eight qualified surgeons.
One of the doctors who lead the surgery, Professor Richard Smith, a consultant gynaecological surgeon, said that the team was “all in tears” when they realised the op had taken.
“It was emotional for all the medical staff and for her and her entire family – it was a hugely big deal to us all,” he added.
It’s the first time the surgery has been successfully performed in the UK – but there have been a few other success stories from around the world.
The first – initially – successful op took place in Saudi Arabia in 2000, but the donated organ had to be removed three months after insertion due to “complications.”
Since then, there have been more than 100 successful transplanted wombs and more than 50 healthy babies have been born to women with donated uteruses.
Although the surgery has been touted as a major breakthrough, it’s not yet available on the NHS and the surgery was funded by charity Womb Transplant UK.
They say they’ve been contacted by more than 500 women in the UK, all of whom are hoping for transplanted wombs of their own as they were either born without one, or lost it due to cancer and other medical complications.
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