World's first mum-to-daughter uterine transplants in Sweden

Two Swedish women received new uteruses at the weekend in the world's first mother-to-daughter uterine transplants aimed at helping them have babies, Gothenburg University announced on Tuesday.

Uterine transplants are new, with the first successful one conducted in Turkey in 2011.

"One of the women had previously had her own uterus removed after undergoing treatment for cervical cancer. The other woman was born without a uterus. Both women are in their 30s," a statement from Gothenburg University said.

"More than 10 surgeons took part in the operations, which were conducted without any complications. The women who received the uteruses are doing well but are tired after the surgery," said Mats Braennstroem, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the university and the leader of the research team.

"The mothers who donated their uteruses are already up and walking and are going to be able to go home within a few days," he added.

Braennstroem explained at a press conference that the young women would have to wait one year before trying to get pregnant.

They will then undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) with frozen embryos consisting of their own eggs fertilized with their partner's sperm prior to the organ transplant procedure.

"So we will only really know if this is successful in 2014," if and when the women have given birth to a child, Braennstroem said.

He would not speculate on the chances of the women becoming pregnant, but noted that in regular IVF treatments the chance of delivering a baby after an embryo transfer was 25 to 30 percent.

Braennstroem said the transplanted uteruses would be removed after the women have had "up to two children", so they can stop taking the immunosuppressant medication that helps their bodies accept the transplant.

One of the other doctors on the team, Michael Olausson, said doctors expected the same risk of rejection as seen with other organ donations, of around 20 percent.

The women, whose names were not revealed, were selected for the procedure after a lengthy examination process to ensure she and her partner were fertile and good candidates.

Their mothers were used as donors because of the "theoretical advantage" of having a close relative as a donor, Olausson said, and "because the uterus had proven its functionality in being able to bear a child," Braennstroem added.

Eight more women are due to undergo the procedure in Sweden during the autumn and spring.

Braennstroem stressed the transplant was aimed at helping young women who were either born without a uterus or had a damaged uterus, and not meant to help older women have babies beyond their own child-bearing years.

All of the 10 candidates for the procedure in Sweden are in their 30s or younger, "as IVF has a greater chance of succeeding with younger women," Braennstroem said.

The research team, comprising some 20 scientists, doctors and specialists, has been working on the project since 1999, conducting successful uterine transplants on animals, including mice and primates, that led to births.

Uterine transplants are seen as controversial, primarily because they involve living donors.

The research team was initially blocked by Sweden's Central Ethical Review Board but was given the green light to proceed in May on the condition that it set up a special committee to closely monitor the project. (AFP)

<한글 기사>

세계최초 모녀간 자궁이식 성공

두 명의 어머니 자궁을 각자의 딸에게 이식하는 사상 최초의 모녀간 자궁이식이 스웨덴에서 성공했다.

스웨덴 예테보리(Goteborg) 대학병원 10인 외과팀은 여러 해 전 자궁암수술로 자궁이 절제된 30대 여성과 태어날 때부터 자궁이 없는 또 다른 30대 여성에게 자신 의 생모로부터 적출한 자궁을 지난주 성공적으로 이식했다고 AP통신과 영국의 텔레 그래프 인터넷판이 18일 보도했다.

어머니의 자궁을 이식받은 두 여성은 앞으로 1~2년 동안 거부반응 차단을 위한 면역억제제를 투여하면서 이식된 자궁이 안정되기를 기다려 임신을 시도할 것이라고 수술에 참가한 마하엘 올라우손 박사가 밝혔다.

이를 위해 두 여성은 이미 체외수정(IVF)을 통해 배아를 만들어 냉동 보관해 놓았다.

지금까지 남으로부터 기증된 자궁을 이식한 경우는 있었지만 어머니의 자궁이 딸에 이식된 것은 이번이 처음이다.

작년에는 터키에서 사망한 기증자의 자궁이 젊은 여성에게 성공적으로 이식되었으나 임신이 시도되고 있는지는 알려지지 않고 있다.

2000년에는 사우디아라비아에서 살아있는 여성으로부터 적출한 자궁이 다른 여성에게 이식되었으나 3개월 후 혈전이 발생, 이식된 자궁을 다시 떼어냈다.

어머니의 자궁을 이식받은 두 스웨덴 여성은 최대한 두 차례 임신으로 아이를 낳은 후에는 이식된 자궁을 다시 떼어낼 예정이다.

이는 고혈압, 부종, 당뇨병, 일부 암 등의 부작용 위험이 있는 면역억제제 투여를 끊기 위한 것이다.

영국 글래스고 대학 의과대학 산부인과과장 스카트 넬슨 박사는 만약 이들이 임신에 성공한다면 두말할 것도 없이 획기적인 일이 될 것이라고 논평했다.

현재는 자궁이 없는 여성이 아이를 갖는 유일한 방법은 대리모를 이용하는 수 밖 에 없다고 그는 지적했다.