© npr.org
Brilio.net/en - Science, technology and medicine have crossed paths once again, this time with the first uterus implant that was preformed in the United States. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the process took nine hours and was preformed on an unnamed woman 26-years of age. The clinic has stated that the patient is in stable condition and expecting a full recovery.
This is a major step forward for women who are trying to conceive but are unable to due to Uterine Factor Infertility, meaning that they were born without or have a uterus that no longer functions.
While the woman will be able to give birth, assisted fertilization will be required. After approximately one year of healing, doctors will implant fertilized embryos one by one using in-vetro fertilization. The patient will need to maintain a steady regiment of antibiotics during the pregnancy as to insure that the body doesnt reject the uterus. After one to two pregnancies, the transplant will either be removed or allowed to disintegrate as it would be unnecessary to maintain.
This is the first time this type of procedure has been preformed n the United States, but there have been four successful cases in Sweden, the first one having been recorded in 2014.
Although it is a medical feat that we are able to successfully transplant uteruses, ethical issues do arise. As stated by Dr. Michael Green of Massachusetts General Hospital in 2012: Nobody needs a uterus to live, OK?' Green says. 'Nobody needs a hand or a face to live, in fairness. It's a quality-of-life issue. This is in that same category. So we've opened the door. We've stepped through it. And this is one of the next logical things that people might do.'
Its not a life threatening procedure and there are alternatives such as adopting or surrogate pregnancies.
But some women simply want to have that experience of being pregnant. Maybe its the biological clock, or maybe its the free pass to eat for two, but one candidate for the Cleveland study stated: "I crave that experience ... I want the morning sickness, the backaches, the feet swelling. I want to feel the baby move. That is something I've wanted for as long as I can remember."
Lets hope she gets what she wants.
(brl/tis)
