27-yr-old uterus recipient crosses second trimester

Mumbai: In a first in the country, a uterus recipient has completed more than 30 weeks of her pregnancy. The Vadodara-based woman, 27-year-old Meenakshi Valand, had received her mother’s uterus last year. She has crossed second trimester (30 weeks) of her pregnancy.

Ever since her pregnancy was confirmed, the woman has been under observation at a Pune-based hospital where she had undergone the uterus transplantation in May last year. The woman is precisely 30.5-weeks pregnant, said Dr Shailesh Puntambekar.

Mrs Valand is set to be the first Indian woman to deliver her baby after undergoing a uterus transplant. Doctors are monitored Mrs Valand daily to record the foetal heartbeat while other vital parameters are also being assessed.

Talking to The Asian Age, Dr Puntambekar, said, “Meenakshi is precisely 30.5-weeks pregnant. She is doing well and has crossed the crucial third trimester. We probably have to carry out the delivery when the weight of the baby reaches 2kg since the uterus won’t be able to carry any more weight.”

Dr Puntambekar also said, “As the womb is transplanted, Meenakshi won’t be able to feel labour pains since the nerves that pass sensations are absent.” Till now he has conducted almost six uterus transplants and around 600 patients are awaiting his services.

According to experts, India is the first country where six uterus transplants had been successfully carried out.