Approx 12 to 13 out of every 100 couples in the United States will experience difficulty conceiving and/or staying pregnant. Although they may not be successful for everyone, there are different methods of treatment out there to assist couples who are having trouble bringing their own child into the world. One of the latest methods of fertility treatment deemed successful in the United States is womb transplants.
Philidelphia couple, Jennifer and Drew Gobrecht, were thrilled at the opportunity to try this newer medical option. The couple believed that they would never be able to have children of their own as Jennifer was born without a uterus. Eager to give it a go, Mrs. Gobrecht immediately signed up for a trial womb transplant at Penn Medicine. She was considered a good candidate and was approved to be a participant.
After moving through three strategic phases, the surgical implantation was a success, and as of November 2019, Jennifer gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Benjamin Thomas.
“Penn Medicine helped one couple achieve what they and the medical community once deemed impossible: parenthood,” the health system proudly announced on their website.
So far in the United States, only one other womb transplant has been successful. A baby girl was conceived and safely brought into the world in June 2019 at Cleveland Clinic. Both the parents of this baby, as well as the Gobrechts, were fortunate to have a safe, successful experience!
But how does the uterine transplant work?
According to Penn Medicine, “A uterine transplant is very similar to any other type of transplant, with one exception: after the woman gives birth, doctors surgically remove the transplanted uterus. The transplanted uterus is completely temporary, serving the sole purpose of allowing a woman to carry a baby. Patients who undergo uterine transplants will need to take antirejection medication (deemed completely safe during pregnancy) until the uterus is removed.”
The uterus used for these transplants typically comes from deceased donors around the age of 18 to 45 who have previously carried and delivered healthy babies.
“Although it is a long and challenging journey, for many couples struggling with infertility, it may be worth it. And for those who are just now getting diagnosed with UFI: There’s more hope than ever before.”
It’s incredible to see how far science has come and the type of potential it has to help so many people.
Check out the Gobrechts’s sweet newborn down below! To learn more about how Penn Medicine carries out womb transplants, click here. And if you’re interested in donating or receiving a uterus, click here.
