U.S. Uterus Transplant Outcomes Show High Pregnancy Success
A national review led by University of Pennsylvania researchers found that a decade of uterus transplantation in the United States has produced dozens of healthy births and improving surgical results. About 70% of recipients achieved at least one live birth or were still pregnant past 20 weeks when the study ended. The analysis covered 60 transplants performed from 2016 to 2025 at four U.S. centers, indicating the procedure has become a reproducible clinical therapy for certain forms of infertility.
The review appeared in Obstetrics & Gynecology and covered 60 procedures performed from 2016 to 2025 at four U.S. centers. It captured surgical, reproductive, neonatal, and early childhood outcomes, representing nearly all U.S. uterus transplant experience. Most recipients had MRKH syndrome, a congenital condition in which the uterus fails to develop; others had hysterectomy or a uterus unable to sustain pregnancy.
Among 60 transplants, 51 organs functioned beyond the first 30 days. More than 82% of those recipients had a live birth or remained pregnant at 20 weeks or later. Nationwide, 48 infants were born, and nine recipients delivered twice. Since 2020, only one graft failure occurred among 31 transplants.
For people with absolute uterine factor infertility, this review may reinforce uterus transplant as a viable family-building option alongside adoption and gestational surrogacy. Clinicians and transplant centers could use the outcomes to counsel patients more concretely about risks and chances. Broader uptake may depend on organ availability, specialized care, cost, and long-term follow-up, so access could remain uneven. The findings may also shape how researchers track children's development and refine donor selection and surgical protocols.