UAB Launches First Uterus Transplant Program In Southeast
Doctors estimate that worldwide, hundreds of thousands of women cannot get pregnant because they either do not have a uterus or they have one that does not function properly. For some, uterine transplantation provides an option to bear children.
UAB Hospital announced last week it would begin offering this procedure, making it the first program in the southeast and the only institution in the nation to offer uterus transplants outside of a clinical trial.
A Life-Enhancing Procedure
Surgeon Dr. Paige Porrett, who is leading UAB’s program, said uterine transplantation is fairly new. Doctors in Sweden conducted the first surgery in 2014 and initially Porrett was not convinced about the procedure.
“I was not a big fan of the idea or the concept of uterus transplantation when I was first introduced to it,” she said.
Unlike with a heart or kidney, a uterus transplant is not necessary to survive. But Porrett said the potential impact is significant.
“It was after I began to be introduced to the community that this transplant can serve that I began to change my mind,” she said.
Another Option
Porrett said she was moved by people like Jennifer Gobrecht, who gave birth to her son Benjamin about a year ago.
“He’s got four teeth,” she said. “He’s almost crawling. He likes to roll a lot.”
Gobrecht was born without a uterus, a condition that affects about one in 4500 women. She said there are other options, like using a gestational carrier, but the process can be complicated and not always accessible.
Gobrecht participated in a clinical trial led by Porrett at the University of Pennsylvania, one of three uterine transplant research trials in the country.
She said she was excited to try the transplant, not only to become pregnant, but also to help pave the way for other women.
“The part that kind of attracted me was the medical advancement,” Gobrecht said. “There was a lot of research to this, which was part of my passion.”
Looking Ahead
The uterine transplant process takes years and involves months of evaluation, several surgeries, anti-rejection drugs and in vitro fertilization.
Unlike other transplants, it is temporary. After a woman has given birth once or twice via cesarean section, the transplanted uterus is removed.
According to Porrett, there have been an estimated 80 uterine transplants worldwide, with more than 20 resulting in live births.
While some programs accept organ donations from live donors who offer to have their uterus removed, the program at UAB Hospital will only use deceased donors. Doctors hope to complete their first uterine transplant by summer of 2021.
Editor’s Note: UAB holds WBHM’s broadcast license but our news and business departments operate independently.
Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he targeted U.S. political parties, memo says
The man accused of placing two pipe bombs in Washington on the eve of Jan. 6, 2021 told investigators someone needed to "speak up" for people who believed the 2020 election was stolen, prosecutors said Sunday.
Chinese military stages drills around Taiwan to warn ‘external forces’
The drills came after Beijing expressed anger at U.S. arms sales, and a statement by Japan's prime minister saying its military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan.
Trump and Netanyahu to meet in Florida at a crucial moment for the Gaza ceasefire
President Trump could use the face-to-face at his Mar-a-Lago estate to look for ways to speed up the peace process, as Israel's leader has been accused of not pushing his side to move fast enough.
‘Bomb cyclone’ forecasted to bring heavy snow, blizzard conditions and dangerous travel
A 'bomb cyclone' is intensifying severe winter weather for millions of people across the U.S. The system is expected to knock out power and disrupt holiday travel.
Russia sends 3 Iranian satellites into orbit, report says
The report said that a Russian rocket sent the satellites on Sunday from a launchpad in eastern Russia.
Viral global TikToks: A twist on soccer, Tanzania’s Charlie Chaplin, hope in Gaza
TikToks are everywhere (well, except countries like Australia and India, where they've been banned.) We talk to the creators of some of the year's most popular reels from the Global South.
