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Transplanting the Womb: Analysis and Catholic Response

Bioethics & the Body
Parallel Paper
June 26, 2021
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It is only six years since a medical team led by Mats Brannstrom revolutionized the field of reproductive transplantation with the transfer of foreign uteri into a small cohort of women with uterine factor infertility. Since 2013, additional studies received approval and some are currently underway. It is reported that twelve infants were delivered without significant complications, the concept of ex mortuo donation was proven, and a transplant between identical twins effectively eliminated the need for aggressive immunosuppression laying the groundwork for future isografts either between such twins or through a biotechnological feat. The authors of a recent article published in the British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology even support the future inclusion of genetic males who identify as female into the candidate pool for uterus transplantation. Because of that progress, continued analysis is paramount. The following paper provides an up-to-date account of uterus transplantation with an overview of the medical and ethical literature and concludes with a Catholic response to the novel technology. That response identifies the current state of uterus transplantation as ethically imprudent when considered generally; and ethically inappropriate when followed by in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer specifically.

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