Womb transplants will be possible in three years, claim scientists

HUMAN womb transplants will be possible in two or three years, Swedish scientists said yesterday.

Professor Mats Brannstrom, of Sahlgrenska University in Gothenburg, said women who born without a womb or those who had it removed would be the first candidates for a transplant.

Possible donors could be a sister who has completed her family or the woman’s mother. Age would not be a barrier, the scientists said.

“We hope to do this in two to three years,” Prof Brannstrom told a fertility conference. “It could be that you could give birth to a baby from the uterus that you yourself were born from.”

He and his colleagues have already produced two generations of mice from a transplanted womb. After further studies in mice and pigs to perfect the technique, they hope to begin human transplants.

The donated uterus must be genetically matched, which is why a blood relative would be ideal. Drugs would be needed to prevent rejection of the transplant.

The surgery would be comparable to a kidney transplant and would offer advantages over surrogacy, which is not allowed in many countries.

“In most parts of the world surrogacy is considered unethical or is not permitted by law,” Prof Brannstrom said.

In 3% or 4% of infertile women, a problem with the uterus is a factor.

There would probably be no shortage of women willing to try the technique because Prof Brannstrom said he has already received hundreds of inquiries from women who have read about his success with uterine transplants in mice.

“There is a demand,” he said.