Study: Uterus Transplant in Mouse Results in Pregnancy

Researchers in Sweden reported in the Journal of Endocrinology that they have performed womb transplants in mice, a development that may ultimately offer new hope to childless women.

Dr Mats Brannstrom, who led the team at the Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University, said the procedure marked the first time that a uterus transplant has resulted in a successful pregnancy.

In their study, a womb was transplanted into the mouse and grafted onto its own uterus, which it kept. Three fertilised embryos were then placed in each uterus. All three embryos in the mouse's womb, and one of the three in the transplanted uterus, developed into healthy fetuses.

The research team terminated the pregnancies after 14 days. Normal gestation period for a mouse is 20 days.

"Now we have taken this a step further and shown that one can have full and normal pregnancies in a transplanted uterus," Braennstroem said.

In a woman, the procedure would involve removing the existing uterus and replacing it with the donor uterus. Braennstroem said the donor would preferably be the woman's mother or sister in order to diminish the risk of organ rejection.

Two years ago, surgeons in Saudi Arabia transplanted a womb into a 26-year-old woman after she had to have her own removed in an emergency operation. The transplanted organ survived for 99 days before it failed and had to be removed.