I wrote an entry yesterday that posted today about the possible transplant of a uterus in a NY hospital. To read the full article, click here. To read my post click here.
Since reading the article, my thoughts have really been focused on the issue of organ transplants. I am an organ donor and have been since I have been 18. I love seeing that little heart on my license, knowing that I can possibly be of service to someone after I die. The only conditions that I have told my family about is that I don’t want to be disfigured by the donation. Which I think is an odd thing because I also plan to be cremated. What do I care? But it is something that I have thought about, so I made sure to tell Chris and my sister.
But now I’ve been thinking about the possibility of my uterus being donated. I don’t think that I would have a problem with that. But what about if the science continues along this path? Would I donate my ovaries? Would I donate my eggs?
Now, I don’t think that I am in any age frame where this might even happen. Even if I die today I’m still of advanced maternal age so my reproductive organs aren’t prime stock. But what if I was younger? Would it matter that I already have children. Would it matter to my parents? My husband?
People donating a loved one’s organs would be asked to donate the uterus, too. In the six-month experiment with the New York Organ Donor Network, nine out of 150 families agreed and eight wombs were successfully removed.
A uterus stays viable for about 12 hours, so the recipient would need to be ready for surgery once the retrieval begins.
To me, 9 out of 150 families is not that large of a number, but about what I would expect. Regardless if this transplant does take place, it sure adds on another issue to the process of organ donation.
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