First Japanese Uterus Transplant Trial Could Enable Birth

Fujita Health University in Aichi Prefecture is proposing the first clinical trial for uterine transplants in Japan. The university submitted its research proposal on Monday to an internal review board, with hopes to begin the trial next year. This procedure is intended to enable pregnancy and childbirth for women who are born without a uterus or have underdeveloped reproductive organs, such as those with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome.

The proposed trial will involve approximately three patients. Researchers plan to transplant a uterus from a donor, likely a female relative, into the patient. The patient's own eggs, fertilized with their partner's sperm, would then be implanted into the transplanted organ. This endeavor offers a new avenue for fertility for affected women.

Globally, uterine transplantation has seen success, with the first reported birth following such a procedure occurring in Sweden in 2014. Over 150 uterine transplants have been performed internationally, leading to more than 80 births. While this move brings hope, it also prompts ethical discussions regarding transplantation for non-life-saving purposes and the procurement of organs from living donors. Japan's medical community, through the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences, has already issued reports in July 2021 allowing such clinical trials.