Surgeon says trans women should get womb transplants so they can have children
Basit Mahmood for Metro.co.uk
A leading British surgeon has called for transgender women to receive life changing womb transplants so they can have their own children.
It follows the delivery of the world’s first baby from a womb transplant by doctors in Brazil.
The transplant was given to the woman from a deceased donor last year.
Surgeon Christopher Inglefield founder of the London Transgender Clinic, believes transgender women deserve a uterus implant.
Mr Inglefield says the procedure is ‘essentially identical’ to the one performed on women.
Dr Inglefield, told the Mirror: ‘This pioneering birth is extremely important for any trans female who would like to carry her own child.
‘Because once the medical community accept this as a treatment for cis-women with uterine infertility, such as congenital absence of a womb, then it would be illegal to deny a trans-female who has completed her transition.’
Currently there are no regulations in place to prevent trans women from receiving IVF if they do receive a transplant.
Dr Inglefield says ‘harvesting’ the womb from the donor is tricky, as surgeons must ensure they do not damage arteries and veins to the uterus.
However he claims the ‘plumbing in’ is a straight forward procedure, as vessels are connected to veins which are the same in both males and females.
He said births would most likely be delivered by cesarean section in order to safeguard the child.
Other experts have also endorsed Dr Inglefield’s claims.
Dr Richard Paulson, former president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said he could think of no anatomical reason why a womb could not be successfully implanted into a transgender woman.
He added: ‘You could do it tomorrow. There would be additional challenges, but I don’t see any obvious problem that would preclude it.
‘I personally suspect there are going to be trans women who are going to want to have a uterus and will likely get the transplant.’
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