Uterus transplantation - donor and recipient work-up

Uterus transplantation (UTx) is transitioning from an experimental procedure to a clinical treatment for absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI). Standardized protocols for the evaluation and selection of donors and recipients that maximize chances of success - a healthy live birth - are needed.

To date, recipient eligibility has been limited to otherwise healthy women with AUFI who are of childbearing age and are good candidates for in-vitro fertilization (IVF). For donors (living or deceased), selection criteria vary, apart from basic requirements of blood-type compatibility and freedom from critical infectious diseases, but generally require a term birth and a uterus free from uterine pathologies. The stepwise evaluation process for candidate recipients and living donors moves through health screening (medical and psychosocial); initial selection committee review; IVF (recipients only); and final selection committee review. This eliminates candidates with poor chances of success before exposure to unnecessary risks.

The currently stringent selection criteria for prospective recipients and donors will likely broaden, as UTx becomes more widely available. Continued research is needed to define the donor, recipient and uterine graft factors associated with successful outcomes, and to support the development of standardized selection criteria.