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. 2018 Jul;18(7):6-15.
doi: 10.1080/15265161.2018.1478018.

Uterus Transplantation: The Ethics of Using Deceased Versus Living Donors

Bethany Bruno  1 , Kavita Shah Arora  2
Affiliations

Uterus Transplantation: The Ethics of Using Deceased Versus Living Donors

Bethany Bruno et al. Am J Bioeth. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Research teams have made considerable progress in treating absolute uterine factor infertility through uterus transplantation, though studies have differed on the choice of either deceased or living donors. While researchers continue to analyze the medical feasibility of both approaches, little attention has been paid to the ethics of using deceased versus living donors as well as the protections that must be in place for each. Both types of uterus donation also pose unique regulatory challenges, including how to allocate donated organs; whether the donor / donor's family has any rights to the uterus and resulting child; how to manage contact between the donor / donor's family, recipient, and resulting child; and how to track outcomes moving forward.

Keywords: informed consent; organ transplantation; rationing/resource allocation; regulatory issues; reproductive technologies.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest – none

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