First Uterus Transplant Spurs Male Pregnancy Talk
The first uterus transplant in the US has opened the gates to several ethical questions, including that of male pregnancy.
Business Insider quoted a healthcare professional saying male pregnancy was technically possible but would require complex restructuring of the pelvis. Drastic hormonal changes would also be needed to support pregnancy. The interest in the subject was fuelled by the first uterus transplant in the US from a deceased donor in a 26-year-old.
Sweden pioneered success of womb transplants and has reported pregnancies in women with donor uteruses. Live donors in Sweden also donate wombs to women opting for transplants. The US is restricting surgeries to cadaver donations. Additionally, uterus transplants will be made available only to women with uterine factor infertility, which includes removal through hysterectomy or irreversible damage to the womb preventing carrying a fetus, reports Health Day.
Transplanted uteruses are not permanent as the recipient given the need to take immune-suppression drugs to fight the body's rejection mechanism; after a pregnancy or two, a woman can have the transplanted uterus removed. Pregnancy for women with transplanted wombs is possible only through IVF as transplanted uterus is not connected to ovaries, according to Business Insider. Delivery is possible only through c-section as transplanted uteruses cannot take the stress of natural labor.
ABC News quoted women with a rare congenital condition called Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser who hailed the transplant. The condition causes girls to be born with underdeveloped or in some cases without reproductive organs.
