A woman in Brazil has given birth to a live baby grown in a transplanted uterus from a deceased non-related woman, the first ever successful birth following this procedure, it was announced today.
Dr Dani Ejzenberg of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, led the medical team. He explains that uterus donation is normally only carried out using a donated uterus from a family member.
Details of the case are published today (5 December) in The Lancet. They write that the feasibility and viability of livebirth via deceased donor uterus had been unclear.
The team carried out a uterine transplantation in September 2016 on a 32 year old born without a uterus. The donated organ came from a 45 year old woman who died from stroke.
Eight eggs were produced by in vitro fertilisation before the operation and pregnancy occurred after the first single embryo transfer seven months afterwards. No abnormalities were seen during pregnancy and a baby girl was born by caesarean at 36 weeks’ gestation, in December 2017.
The mother’s new uterus was removed during the caesarean section. Mother and baby remain healthy and developing normally seven months later, the team report.
"The results establish proof-of-concept for treating uterine infertility by transplantation from a deceased donor, opening a path to healthy pregnancy for all women with uterine factor infertility, without need of living donors or live donor surgery," the authors write.
Ejzenberg, D. et al. Livebirth after uterus transplantation from a deceased donor in a recipient with uterine infertility. The Lancet 4 December 2018; doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31766-5
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31766-5/fulltext
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