Efficacy and safety of uterus transplant

A decade has passed since the first uterus transplant by a Swedish team. What are the results of this revolutionary medical procedure?

𝐔𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 may be acquired or congenital and may result from a dysfunctional or totally absent uterus. For example, women with 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫-𝐑𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐲-𝐊𝐮̈𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞 are born without a uterus. In France, it is estimated that 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝟒,𝟓𝟎𝟎 suffers from this medical condition, and uterine transplantation is offered in particular to these women. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐬 are estimated to have successfully occurred in France thanks to this procedure, and around 70 worldwide.

A study recently published in 𝐽𝐴𝑀𝐴 proposed a 𝟑-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 in women with absolute uterine infertility. The aim of the DUETS study was to evaluate the 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 and 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 of uterine transplantation. Out of 20 participants, uterus transplantation was 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝟕𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬, and 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 in these women. 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 in both donors and recipients.

𝐅𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐲 in France at the Rennes University Hospital, using both living and deceased donors. Post-mortem donation obviously offers several advantages: a shorter, simpler procedure and, of course, no side effects for the donor.