By Kathleen Guthrie Woods
Nine womb-less women in Sweden received transplants from relatives in hopes that they will be able to give birth to their own children.
Premise for a sci-fi blockbuster movie? Nope. True story. You can read the article here.
I read the article with mixed feelings. I felt so sad for the recipients, having a sense of what they’d been through to get to this point. I thought about the ethics and wondered if, maybe, their lack of wombs isn’t part of Nature’s plan for population control (yes, I know that’s not a nice thought, but it’s honest). I wondered who would put themselves through this crazy experimental procedure, then I thought about all of the women I know who would drink, inject, or believe anything in hopes of having their miracle babies. I wondered if I had been in their shoes, if I had the means and opportunity, would I have signed up?
Would you?
Maybe this will be the answer to so many women’s desires to have children, and I hope for the best possible outcome. At the same time, I fear what kind of new baby-making industry (and related scams) might result from success.
I hope women—and their partners—read the fine print and weigh the possible win with the possible side effects and risks: blood clots, high blood pressure, diabetes, some types of cancer, transplant rejection. I also found the closing line of the article chilling: “…there are no guarantees (that the women will have babies)…what is certain is that they are making a contribution to science.”
Both my husband and I had to have surgery in the last six months. We are lucky to be healthy, but I have to tell you, recovery was a bitch. Elective surgery? No way. Possibly sacrifice my health to contribute to science? Um, no. But to maybe have a baby? Maybe.
What do you think?
Kathleen Guthrie Woods is a Northern California–based freelance writer. She is mostly at peace with her childfree status.
I was horrified by the story. I understand how badly people want a child, but when do we stop providing options? How painful will it be if these women can’t have children after this procedure? What supports will they have? Let alone any future complications. Yet, I do think how far people go is a personal decision and these women are in a unique situation.
It also further marginalizes those of us who have made the choice to end our journeys. It further perpetuates the myth that a life without a child is somehow lacking or less worthwhile. Medical science can be a double edged sword.
Yes, I have read the story few days ago .
Me – now? No way. Never ever would I do that (for at least 10 good reasons, higher risk of cancer because of the drugs preventing rejection being on the first place).
Me – in the darkest days of infertility, few years ago (when I couldn’t even imagine that happy life after infertility is possible) – probably yes.
As a woman in my early 60’s and a DES daughter who didn’t have children I’m not surprised at the new technology of transplanting wombs. My womb was affected by the DES exposure making it prohibitive for me to carry a baby to term. I’m fortunate I think that the womb transplant technology was not available to me. I’m sure well meaning relatives would have wanted me to try it. Having had the experience of being affected by hormone treatment that my mother was encouraged to use, I wanted nothing to do with experimental treatments that might affect any child I might have. I empathize with young women facing infertility and the vast range of treatment options today. It must be a such a frightening road to travel and the pressure to keep trying must be grueling.
No. As Bubli said, i understand – too well – the deep desire for a child.
However, every drug has a price. Even the aspirin or Tylenol folks think is so safe has a price down the road (but too many don’t realize it). This is why we didn’t go the IVF route. The heavy duty meds someone must take for a transplant would do massive damage to both mama and baby.
I am so sad that folks made this choice, so sad that they are at this point. I’m in awe of people willing to donate in hope of new life – but i’m afraid the price is too high.
It’s always hard to judge unless you’re wearing the shoe.
For us, the want and need to have baby of our own has a limit. Like my hubby said, that’s not the reason we’re with each other. The baby is a bonus. we’re happy, we love each other, we try all we can that is within reason. If it’s not meant to be, then we live our life the best it can be, just the two of us.
Those words could have been voiced by my dh… it’s taken me a while, but I am gradually coming to peace with it.
I had similar feelings to the ones voiced here, and that is perhaps hugely hypocritical as I’m now pregnant as a result of IVF. Even doing IVF gave me pause–is this what nature intended? Am I ignoring these obvious signs from my body that I’m not meant to have a child? I think what finally pushed me on to do IVF is simply that it was an option, and I didn’t want to feel regret for the rest of my life that I hadn’t tried what was available. If IVF didn’t exist or wasn’t an option financially for me, I think I could have come to terms with not having children. It’s the existence of these invasive procedures that make you think, well if I *can* do it, should I? So it’s an interesting ethical question on many levels…