London: Scientists report a breakthrough in transplantation of uteri in mice. It proves that transplanted uteri can harbour pregnancies and provides hope that successful womb transplants will be possible in women in the future.

A team from Sahlgrenska University, in Sweden have successfully transplanted uteri from one set of mice to another and produced normal healthy babies from the transplanted wombs. This is the first time that live births have been achieved from transplanted uteri in any species.

Team leader Professor Mats Brdnnstrvm told a news briefing that they have developed a technique for transplantation of the uterus from one mouse to another: in each recipient mouse the transplanted uterus was placed alongside the normal uterus, which acted as a control. After transplantation between genetically identical mice the grafted uterus produced pups. The mouse pups had normal body weight, showed normal behaviour and were fertile.

Five out of seven uterine grafts that had been preserved in cooling solution for 24 hours before transplantation also produced healthy pups. Transplantation between different strains of mice was also used to study rejection of the transplants.

He said further research was needed before moving on to humans more answers on controlling rejection and on the possible effects of immunosuppression on pregnancies. They had now started this work and were also developing their techniques in pigs. Womb transplants could help between 3-4 per cent of infertile women, Professor Brdnnstrvm believes, and could be an alternative to surrogacy.

ANI