The impact of uterus transplantation on recipient’s lives
Participants described the impact of uterus transplantation in terms of four factors. First, uterus transplantation was perceived as a healing process that allowed them to begin the recovery from the negative impact of AUFI. Second, participants described the positive psychological impact that uterus transplantation had on their lives as a contrast to the negative impact of AUFI. Third, uterus transplantation allowed participants to regain the opportunity to be a part of common female experiences, which had been lost with the diagnosis of AUFI. Finally, participants related the value of participation in uterus transplantation as an opportunity to help others and actively advocate for women with AUFI.
The value of the option of uterus transplantation was empowering for participants and for many, began a healing journey. Participants described the theme of healing in terms of changing their life trajectory which was dominated by infertility and its consequences to a life with more control over their reproductive choices. Moreover, healing was not merely realised by those participants who had a successful pregnancy, but was a stepwise process that started with transplantation and continued with each new experience in the UTx process: menstruation, embryo transfer, clinical pregnancy, delivery and motherhood. One participant described how she conceptualised the value of UTx as an option as follows:
I was never born with this option [UTx]. So, for it to even be on the table was an instant like, wow, I have the choice. Do I want a uterus? Do I want to try for this? I had a choice which I never had when I was first diagnosed… So that was healing in itself. (UTR08_SP)
UTx had a strong healing effect on participants. UTx transformed participants’ self-identity and perceptions of their life trajectory as women with infertility who would never have the option to have their own children. One participant said that with UTx, this was the first time in her life she could envision herself becoming a mom and be excited about the prospect of starting a family.(UTR09_SP) Another described her reaction to learning about the uterus transplant clinical trials as “my soul kicked back”.(UTR15_CP) Even those participants who did not have a successful transplant described a positive psychological impact of having gone through the UTx procedure. They were able to walk away with a new perception of personal resilience and strength. One participant talked about how she was incredibly proud of having attempted UTx and that this will be part of the story that she tells her daughter (through surrogacy) one day about how hard she worked to become her mother.
Whereas participants perceived that AUFI took away a part of their female identity, uterus transplant enhanced that facet of their identity in multiple ways. First, participants described how having a menstrual cycle was a normalizing experience. One participant commented that she would now be able to relate to her adopted daughter when she starts her menstrual cycle.(UTR18_CP) Second, the fact that participants had a uterus and were trying to get pregnant was also normalizing. They were now a part of this larger cohort of women who were dealing with the trials and tribulations associated with assisted reproductive technologies and were better able to relate to and identify with the reproductive struggles of other women through this shared experience.
Participants also took pride in the impact of their participation in the UTx clinical trial on other women with AUFI. Beyond the personal value of the UTx experience, participants believed that their participation in UTx was helping to make UTx an option for other women with AUFI in the future. It was a way to give young women with a new diagnosis of AUFI hope for their future in terms of having another option for parenthood. When describing her perception of the value of undergoing UTx, one participant commented:
And there is now that sixteen or seventeen-year-old finding out, that is getting diagnosed, and now has hope for the future. Now she has options. So, was it worth it? Yes. (UTR05_GF)