Doctors say India's first uterus transplant successful

Doctors on Friday declared the country's first uterus (womb) transplant on a 21-year-old woman successful, but said the patient is under observation and the next two days are crucial.

In a nine-hour surgery, doctors at Galaxy Care laparoscopy Institute on Thursday performed India's first uterus transplant on a woman from Kolhapur who was born without a uterus.

The surgery was performed after clearance by the Directorate of Health Services, Maharashtra.

The recipient got a donation from her own 45-year-old mother.

"The surgery has been a success. The next 48 hours will be crucial and the patient will be under observation," oncosurgeon (Dr) Shailesh Puntambekar who headed the medical team, told mediapersons on Friday.

Doctors said the recipient would be able to menstruate and conceive normally, with the surgery opening a new avenue for motherhood, besides the methods of surrogacy or adoption.

The donor's uterus was removed through laparoscopic surgery or keyhole surgery, while the transplant was performed as an open surgery, he added.

The world's first successful uterus transplant was carried out in Sweden in 2013 on a 36-year old woman born without uterus, after her 60-year old friend donated her organ.

Later, the woman conceived normally and gave natural birth to a male child.

Till date, around two dozen such uterus transplants have been carried out across the world, with India joining the list.

--IANS

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