U.K. first womb transplant

[VestaTilley]

The BBC has reported today that the first womb transplant has taken place in a hospital in England. A 40 year old woman donated her womb to her sister, hopefully enabling her to have children.

AIBU to be concerned about a potential dystopian future where women’s reproductive organs are harvested like car parts?

Journalists are treating this like it’s a positive, with few questions being asked about how the donor is recovering, how the foetus (if the recipient does conceive) will fare if the woman has to continue taking immuno suppressive drugs? Whether there is increased miscarriage risk?

Transplants are supposed to be life saving, not about wish fulfilment. Apparently 10 brain dead women are being lined up for future donation!

To me this all seems part of a bigger picture of surrogacy, synthetic embryo creation (reported earlier this year) and a drive to disassociate women from reproduction and the biology of our sex.

Am I alone in being bothered by this? I wish journalists would look more at the bigger societal picture.

Link here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66514270

10 brain dead women are being lined up?

That is horrific.

I agree that all your questions need to be asked.

No I agree. Wait till they start putting it into men. It’s horrific. And I actually cannot believ they were allowed to do this.

Uterine transplants have been done before outside of the uk. I remember reading of it.

I don’t really see this as different to any other organ transplant really. I follow a lady on Instagram in the US who had a uterus transplant and she is just full of gratitude and joy for the baby she is now carrying after being told at 14 she had no uterus and would never have children.

10 deceased brain dead women - again, it’s organ transplant which their families will have had to agree to. I am an organ donor as I’m sure most are now and would have not problem with my womb or uterus being used to help a woman who couldn’t have children.

Christ alive

I see it coming. Pregnant blokes 😳

I read that article and immediately went to update my organ donation so they can’t take my tissue. It was the only option that I figured covered reproductive organs. I’ve also told DH.

I can absolutely envisage a future where we’re harvested for our reproductive organs.

I agree with you.

A womb is not a vital organ. This feels dangerous.

I don’t really see this as different to any other organ transplant really

I do. Other organ transplants are to keep you from dying or going blind.

I agree OP the whole situation is revolting. I am not a fan of surrogacy at all but surely this woman’s sister could have carried a baby for her? I was only able to have one child which makes me very lucky I guess. No one has the absolute right to have children.

This is quite nauseating actually

It scares me. We already have a worldwide commercial surrogacy business, with poor women in 2nd and 3rd world countries being paid to carry babies for the rich. It's not a stretch to imagine that womb harvesting of poor women for rich is the next step. Not to mention deluded transwomen (natal males) demanding womb transplantation as gender affirming surgery.

I'm an organ donor but my reproductive system is left off the "ok to take" list.

The ethics of these procedures are so dubious...what are the implications of donating your womb...is it similar to a hysterectomy? And what about the risks associated with carrying a pregnancy in an implanted womb, and risks to the baby? Just because it might be medically possible to do, doesn't mean you should...and I just can't see any reason why you would.

You are definitely not alone in your concern about this, its prioritising someone's desire to carry a child above any other consideration - above the health of the donor, the safety and health of any child that may be conceived, and even the safety of the recipient surely?

Hands and faces can be transplanted, they're not life-saving either but can make a huge difference to someone's quality of life. I also have reservations about who these transplants could go to, but in the case where donor and recipient are related and consent I can't see this as anything but a nice story.

Yep that was my immediate thought.

If somebody has agreed to donate all their organs then I don’t think it makes any difference whether it’s their heart, their lungs or their womb being “harvested.” It’s their choice.

“Pregnant blokes” isn’t going to happen because men have completely different endocrine systems and physiologies. These womb transplants have only been possible because they’ve been able to connect them up to the correct anatomy and systems. Putting a womb into a man would be like transplanting a heart in place of somebody’s kidneys and expecting it to perform the same function.

Also has the NHS struck gold? I’ve been waiting fucking years for very minor surgery that I had to beg for to ensure I’m not in pain every day. But they can spend money on what is essentially an experimental surgery

How long before poor vulnerable women are being prevailed upon or forced to sell their wombs?

@WeetabixTowels it was funded by a charity, so not the NHS thankfully. The fella that did the op is head of the charity. So led by a bloke obviously.

OP can you provide evidence about the brain dead women donating wombs? All I can find is articles about the controversial suggestions.

I don't see the issue, I would happily donate my uterus when I die if it were to help someone. I wouldn't donate whilst still living due to caring reasons but if I were brain-dead they may as well take what they can to aid others.

What about face transplants? Skin grafts from others?

They’re not life saving or to stop you going blind

Donating a womb to a relative who has been unable to have children doesn’t seem the panic induced dystopia people want it to be. It’s adults consenting.

The ethics of these procedures are so dubious...what are the implications of donating your womb...is it similar to a hysterectomy?

I'd imagine it's much more difficult than a hysterectomy. The removal of the uterus for transplant supposedly took over 8 hours, which is much longer than a hysterectomy would take. Presumably they have to be super careful about extracting the uterus without damaging it in any way, which is not a consideration with a hysterectomy.

@WeetabixTowels it was paid for by a charity apparently £25,000. The doctors involved gave up their time for free. Maybe the doctors could have given their time for free to clear some of the backlog of patients who actually need medical procedures.

You can contact the organ donation register here to enquire as to whether you can opt out of this whilst remaining on the donation list for vital organs [email protected]