Life from death: ethical implications of uterus transplantation from deceased donors in global health

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Abstract
In 2018, The Lancet reported that Brazilian researchers had successfully performed a groundbreaking uterus transplantation (UTx) from a deceased donor, leading to the birth of a healthy baby. This procedure involved removing a uterus from a 45-year-old deceased donor and transplanting it into a 32-year-old recipient, who was born without a uterus due to a congenital disorder.1 Since this pioneering achievement, UTx from deceased donors has gained global traction, offering a posthumous gift of life and fertility. By 2023, approximately 90 UTx procedures had been performed worldwide—both from deceased and living donors—with a growing number of using deceased donors, leading to over 45 successful births.2 For individuals affected by absolute uterine factor infertility—approximately 1 in 500 women of childbearing age globally2—UTx from deceased donors represents a vital reproductive option, particularly for those unable to pursue surrogacy or adoption due to religious, ethical, financial or legal constraints.2 3
Funding Information
  • Fondation Brocher (to HS no award/grant number)
  • Wellcome Trust (221719 to HS, PK, MP, JA)

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