Surgeons in Oxford have successfully performed the first womb transplant in the UK. The recipient was a 34-year-old woman with a rare condition that caused the absence or underdevelopment of her uterus. Her 40-year-old sister donated her womb for the transplant. Both women recovered well from the surgery, and the recipient is hoping to have two babies using embryos that are currently in storage. The surgery lasted 17 hours and involved a team of over 30 medical professionals.
The team behind the transplant has been authorized to carry out a total of 15 transplants, with both live and deceased donors. However, they will need an additional £300,000 to cover the costs of all the procedures. There are currently over 15,000 women in the UK who are unable to conceive due to the absence or removal of their uterus. The successful womb transplant in the UK follows a similar procedure that took place in Sweden in 2014. Womb Transplant UK, the charity that funded the surgery, has received significant interest from women wishing to participate in the transplant program.
