No More Clitting Around: Let ’s Talk about Clitoris Transplants

Quality of life transplantations (e.g. hand, face, etc.), in contrast to life-saving transplantations (e.g. heart, lungs, etc.), have become increasingly popular and have gained more acceptance in the medical and lay communities. In the last two decades transplants for sexual and reproductive organs—specifically allogenic transplantations of the uterus, ovary, and penis—have emerged as yet another type of quality of life transplants. The purpose of uterus transplantations is to allow cisgender women with absolute uterine factor infertility to experience pregnancy. Although the first uterus transplantation took place in 2000, it was not until 2014 that there was a successful live birth baby gestated in a transplanted uterus. As of this year, 60 transplants have been reported worldwide with 13 children born as the result. In contrast to women seeking uterus transplantations, those who undergo ovary transplantations have a functioning uterus but lack functioning ovaries. Rather than using IVF to conceive, women can receive an ovary transplant (usually just a slice of ovary rather than an entire ovary) so that they begin ovulating and can conceive via heterosexual intercourse or intrauterine insemination. Shockingly, the first performed ovary transplantation occurred in 1895 and that there was even a reported birth in 1906, though it is unclear if this birth was a direct result of the ovary transplant. Ovary transplants were neglected for about a century until the ear...
Source: blog.bioethics.net - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Tags: Health Care assisted reproduction feminist ethics reproductive medicine Sex and Sexuality surgical ethics syndicated transplantation Women's Reproductive Rights Source Type: blogs