First living-donor uterus transplant at Oxford Hospital Churchill marks a milestone
Medical teams at Oxford Hospital Churchill completed a pioneering uterus transplant from a living donor. The achievement was documented in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, serving as a detailed case report for the medical community.
The recipient was a 34-year-old woman who had two children previously. Her sister, aged 40, chose to donate her uterus after learning the recipient could not carry a pregnancy due to a congenital condition. The donor herself had normal ovarian function, but the recipient lacked a uterus due to Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome, a rare developmental disorder that leaves the uterus undeveloped.
MRKH is a congenital malformation in which the Müllerian ducts fail to form a uterus. While ovarian function and secondary sex characteristics are typically normal, fertility is impaired because there is no functional uterus. The medical team emphasized that the absence of a uterus, not the ovaries, prevents natural conception, even though hormone cycles may proceed normally.
The operation extended for more than nine hours and required meticulous coordination among surgical, anesthetic, and fertility teams. The recipient plans to pursue assisted reproductive techniques in the future, with several embryos already preserved for subsequent use and ongoing fertility treatment planned in central London later in the year.
In the planned post-transplant course, the uterus is intended to remain in place for several years. Afterward, the organ may be removed to reduce the need for lifelong immunosuppression, depending on the recipient’s clinical status and future fertility goals. Such a strategy reflects ongoing discussions in transplant medicine about balancing graft longevity with long-term donor and recipient safety.
The medical team emphasized careful patient selection and comprehensive post-operative monitoring, recognizing the significant physiological and ethical considerations involved in uterus transplantation. The case underscores that successful transplantation can offer new pathways to parenthood for individuals with uterine factor infertility, aligning surgical innovation with reproductive goals. Further follow-up will assess pregnancy outcomes, graft function, and long-term health implications for both donor and recipient. This milestone adds to the growing body of evidence supporting uterus transplantation as a viable option in select cases. Observers note that continued reporting will help refine surgical techniques, immunosuppressive regimens, and patient management strategies. The story illustrates how advances in organ transplant medicine intersect with fertility and women’s health, expanding possibilities for families and changing conversations about reproductive options. A formal record of the case is attributed to the BJOG publication for reference and ongoing study.