The woman who had undergone the first living-donor uterus transplantation (LD UTx) in the UK earlier in 2023 for absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI) (a congenital condition characterised by absence of viable functional womb hence inability to carry and give birth), has given birth to a healthy baby. This is the first time in the UK, a woman has given birth following uterus transplantation (UTx) from a living donor. The 36-year-old British woman had received womb from her sister. The original donor operation and the transplant took place in early 2023. The recipient woman had IVF treatment, and the baby was born in February 2025 following a caesarean section procedure in London.
Uterus transplantation (UTx) involves transplantation of the uterus, cervix, surrounding ligamentous tissues, associated blood vessels and a vaginal cuff from donor to recipient woman. The procedure restores reproductive anatomy and functionality in women with absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI). Currently, uterus transplantation (UTx) is the only available treatment for AUFI condition that empowers such woman to have pregnancy and give birth to genetically related children. It involves a complex, high-risk surgical procedure that effectively treats uterine factor infertility (UFI) among women. The first successful uterus transplantation was conducted in 2013 in Sweden. Since then, over 100 uterus transplantations have been carried out worldwide and over 50 healthy babies have been born following the womb transplantations. The procedure is steadily making way into clinical practice from experimental arena.
One in five thousand women in the UK are born with uterine factor infertility (UFI). Many undergo hysterectomy due to pathological medical conditions. Uterus transplantation (UTx) offers hope to such women to become pregnant.
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References:
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. News – First UK birth following womb transplant. Published 8 April 2025. Available at https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/news/article.aspx?id=2217&returnurl=/
- NHS Blood and Transplant. News – Woman gives birth following a womb transplant from a living donor. Published 8 April 2025. Available at https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/news/woman-gives-birth-following-a-womb-transplant-from-a-living-donor/
- Jones B.P., et al 2023. Living donor uterus transplant in the UK: A case report. BJOG. Published 22 August 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17639
- Veroux M., et al 2024. Living-Donor Uterus Transplantation: A Clinical Review. J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(3), 775; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13030775
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Related articles:
- The First Successful Pregnancy and Birth After Womb Transplant from a Deceased Donor (15 December 2018)
- Would Synthetic Embryos Usher in the Era of Artificial Organs? (28 August 2022)
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