World's first uterus transplant patient hopes to get pregnant

ANTALYA - Anatolia News Agency

Derya Sert received a uterus from a deceased woman and hopes to have a baby. DHA photo

A medical team is currently supervising the condition of a woman who received the first-ever uterus transplant last year and now hopes for a pregnancy, according to Professor Ömer Özkan, a plastic surgeon and associate professor at Akdeniz University in the Mediterranean province of Antalya
Derya Sert received the uterus from a deceased woman, the first transplant of its kind in the world.

Özkan said they were currently examining Sert’s hormone levels and conducting technical procedures to follow the condition of her uterus.

 “After several years, we would like to see the fruit of our work. We are planning to release monthly information [with regard to the patient’s condition] starting next month. The public needs to be informed without disturbing the patient,” Özkan said.

Özkan said the possibility of success in embryo transfer could be up to 40 or 50 percent. “We have a sufficient amount of frozen embryos, which are of good quality. If we obtain negative results – and this possibility is not that low – we will consult a more comprehensive method,” he said.

“We will kick off the active process from next month. After preparations are completed, we are planning to make the first embryo transfer 15 to 20 days later.”

Özkan also said that according to legislation, uterus transplants can be authorized for other patients if Sert’s operation is fully successful, which would open the door to thousands of women who were born without a uterus.