Lauren Fowler, 37, is six months pregnant and preparing to welcome her son, a milestone that was once beyond her reach due to being born without a womb. Her pregnancy is a result of a womb transplant performed in May 2023, where her sister, Kelly Jagga, donated her womb. Fowler is expected to be the third woman in the UK to give birth following such a procedure.
Fowler's journey has been marked by significant medical challenges. Weeks after the 11-hour transplant surgery, she developed a life-threatening bowel obstruction due to scar tissue, requiring emergency surgery and a two-month hospital stay. Despite this, she is determined to experience carrying and giving birth to her child. She has experienced heavy periods since the transplant, a symptom also noted by her sister, which may offer new insights into the causes of heavy menstrual bleeding.
This groundbreaking procedure is part of a research trial aiming to establish womb transplants as a viable option for women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a condition where the womb does not develop, or for those who have had their womb removed due to disease. Approximately 15,000 women in the UK are estimated to have MRKH syndrome. The trial plans to conduct a total of 15 transplants, with five involving live donors and ten from deceased donors. Two live-donor transplants and three deceased-donor transplants have already taken place.
Professor Richard Smith, a consultant gynecological surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and a co-leader of the transplant operations, expressed confidence that the procedure will eventually be offered on the NHS. He highlighted the societal benefit of enabling individuals to have children and contribute to the tax base, in addition to the significant personal benefit for the recipients. The charity Womb Transplant UK is currently funding the trial, which has received over 500 inquiries from interested women. The charity hopes to expand the program to include altruistic donations from unrelated donors, similar to kidney transplants.
While some have questioned the resources allocated to womb transplants, citing surrogacy as an alternative, Professor Smith argues that this overlooks religious or personal objections to surrogacy and the fundamental desire for some women to carry their own child. The cost of the transplants, funded by the charity, is approximately £35,000 to £40,000 per procedure.
Fowler, who learned at age 15 that she did not have a womb, had to undergo IVF to create embryos with her fiancé David Funnell before the transplant. Her first implanted embryo resulted in a miscarriage, but she proceeded with a second attempt, which has led to her current pregnancy. She is scheduled to deliver her son via Cesarean section around 32 weeks into the pregnancy to minimize strain on the transplanted womb. Women who receive womb transplants can typically carry up to two babies, and the womb is removed after five years due to the need for long-term immunosuppressants, which carry potential cancer risks.
Fowler's journey has been personally expensive, with IVF, travel, and accommodation costs totaling around £50,000. She hopes that her experience will inspire and enable other women in similar situations to have the chance to become mothers. Her Instagram handle is @no_womb_at_the_inn.