British surgeons appeal for womb transplant funding

A team of doctors based in London has launched a charity to raise cash to finish the preparatory research and to perform the first five operations.

Scientists are said to be at a “critical stage” in the research and have launched the charity Uterine Transplantation UK, which aims to raise £500,000 to complete the final phase of groundwork before performing the surgery.

Womb transplants offer an alternative to surrogacy or adoption for women whose own wombs have been damaged by diseases such as cervical cancer.

Every year, 14,000 British women discover they are infertile because either they were born without a viable womb or they have undergone a hysterectomy following a serious illness.

Richard Smith, consultant gynaecological surgeon, and his team have been researching the possibility of transplanting a donor womb into a woman so she can have a child – or even two – before the donated womb is then removed.

This means the recipient would only have to take drugs which make their bodies accept the transplant for a limited period – reducing long-term health risks.

Once the research is complete the scientists can apply for ethics permission.

Mr Smith said: “We are confident, especially with a transplant abroad being carried out with the same methodology that we have recommended  that within two years or so, given enough funding, we can begin helping women in the UK.

For more details about the research and to find out about making a donation visit www.wombtransplantuk.org.