Abstract (250/250 words)
Objective: To study the impact of absolute uterine factor
infertility (AUFI) and uterus transplantation (UTx) on women, and UTx
recipients’ perceptions of Utx and reproductive autonomy
Design: Convergent mixed-methods study.
Setting: UTx program in a large academic medical centre in the
United States.
Population/Sample: 20 Utx recipients
Methods: A medical chart review was conducted to collect patient
demographic information, and clinical outcomes. Semi-structured
interviews collected information regarding participants’ experience.
Main Outcome Measure(s): The outcomes of interest were
participants’ experience of infertility, experience with UTx, and
general perceptions of UTx.
Results: 7 participants were pregnant (one with a second child),
6 had experienced early graft failure and removal, 5 had delivered a
healthy baby, and 4 had a viable graft and were awaiting embryo
transfer. The primary themes identified were: the negative impact of
AUFI diagnosis on psychological wellbeing, relationships, and female
identity; the positive impact of UTx on healing the emotional scars of
AUFI, female identity, and value of research trial participation; and
the perception of UTx as an expansion of reproductive autonomy. All
participants reported Utx was worthwhile, regardless of individual
outcome. On bivariate analysis, disease aetiology, having a child after
uterus transplantation, experiencing graft failure and current pregnancy
were not significantly associated with the impact of AUFI or of UTx on
participants’ identities.
Conclusion: AUFI has a negative impact on women from a young age,
affects multiple relationships, and challenges female identity. UTx
helps reverse this impact, transforming women’s life narrative of
infertility and enhancing female identity.