Transferred

Sonia Sodha in the Graun on the mindless excitement about altruistic hysterectomy:

…the UK’s first womb transplant was reported last week – transferred from an older sister who has had children to a younger sister with a rare condition that means she could not otherwise carry a pregnancy. Articles were packed with quotes from doctors heralding this as a profound development, the “dawn of a new age”, according to the chair of the British Fertility Society.

I couldn’t believe how little discussion there was of the risks to the woman donating her womb. Hysterectomy – the removal of a woman’s womb – is described by the NHS as a “major operation”, with all the risks that involves, only recommended if other treatment options are exhausted. I know friends who have experienced debilitating symptoms because of early menopause who have begged doctors for a hysterectomy, only to be told that no doctor would approve it because it’s major surgery that is not medically necessary.

But then again, of course, it’s only women, so does it really matter that it’s risky?

Read the medical papers and the list of risks for living womb donors is dizzying: urinary tract infections, faecal impaction, wound infection, bladder hypotonia, leg and buttock pain, anaemia, respiratory failure during anaesthesia, depression, early menopause. One in 10 donors in 45 analysed cases have required further surgery. The medical team that carried out the UK transplant have developed techniques that have reduced but certainly not eliminated these risks. How did none of this make it into the news reports?

Frankly I think the younger sister should have refused.

How do you ensure that consent is meaningfully given in light of these risks? Is it even ethical to allow an individual to take these risks to try to improve someone else’s fertility? There are parallels with altruistic surrogacy, where a woman carries and gives birth to a baby – a risky endeavour – for someone else. What about the emotional pressure, which might be self-inflicted, that means a sister or mother might feel they ought to donate a womb or offer to carry a baby?

Maybe it’s not worth worrying about. Maybe soon people will stop worrying about infertility because they’ll be so worried about bringing children into a world in flames.

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