Researchers predict that it will be a great challenge to procure enough organs to meet the increasing need and willingness to undergo uterine transplant (UTx) in near future report the results of a feasibility study presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Scientific Congress in Denver, Colorado.
Uterine transplant is the emerging treatment for thousands of women of childbearing age who suffer from absolute uterine factor infertility. The world recently saw the birth of the world’s 12th and India’s first baby born after a uterine transplant. There is a growing interest among the community about transplant procedure, as evident by the long waiting list of patients at the high-volume transplant centers around the world.
Researchers from Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania carried out this study to quantify and characterize candidacy and interest in UTx.
They examined the medical and social histories of all deceased donors from the database of large organ procurement organization (OPO), the Gift of Life Donation Program (GLDP) to see how many women would have been eligible to donate uterus after death. Of the 585 total donors, 186 were females, of whom 94 were of reproductive age.
After applying ‘liberal’ screening criteria, which included no evidence of active Hepatitis B/C, diabetes, and no active intravenous drug use only 31 were found eligible to be a potential donor. If in addition to above criteria more stringent criteria that includes parity, related gynecological conditions that could impact the future pregnancy, age < 45 years, and no smoking were set, only 6 women were left in the list as being eligible for the uterine donor.
The researchers report that only 1-5% of all organ donors from a large OPO could potentially be eligible to qualify as a deceased donor.
