Uterus Transplantation - History

History

In 1896, Knauer published the first study of ovarian autotransplantation documenting normal function (in a rabbit) and that led to the investigation of uterine transplantation in 1918. Erslan, Hamernik and Hardy, in 1964 and 1966, were the first to perform an animal (dog) autotransplantation of the uterus and subsequently deliver a pregnancy from that uterus. In 2011 Edwin Ramirez M.D, et al.demonstrated that a pregnancy can be carried in a sheep transplanted uterus under the influence of immunosuppressive therapy. These experiments initiated in 2001 as a Ramirez family project at University of Texas, Odessa and ended in Bogota, Colombia at the La Salle University.

In humans: In 1931, Lili Elbe died from organ rejection three months after receiving one of the world's earliest uterine transplants. With the availability of in vitro fertilization in 1978, uterine transplantation research was deferred (Confino et al. 1986). In Saudi Arabia in 2000, a uterine transplant was performed by Dr. Wafa Fagee from a 46 year old hysterectomy patient into a 26 year old recipient whose own uterus had hemorrhaged after childbirth. The transplanted uterus functioned for 99 days, however it ultimately needed to be removed after its failure due to blood clotting. Within the medical community there is some debate as to whether or not the transplant can truly be considered successful. Post-operatively, the patient had two spontaneous menstrual cycles, followed by amenorrhoea; exploratory laparotomy confirmed uterine necrosis. The procedure has raised some moral and ethical concerns, which have been addressed in the literature.

The first mother-to-daughter womb transplant was done by Swedish doctors at Gothenburg University.