It was an evening of hope, understanding and enlightenment for approximately two dozen girls and women who attended a November 13th event in Manhattan hosted by A TIME on promising new developments in the field of uterine transplants.
A TIME has spent years working with those who were born without a uterus, a condition known as MKRH syndrome, one of several causes of uterine factor infertility which affects approximately one out of every 500 women. After hearing about the success of uterine transplants being done in Sweden from Dr. Tommaso Falcone at a medical conference in Hawaii several years ago, ATIME’s medical experts have kept a watchful eye on the procedure’s progress. The first clinical trial in North America is currently underway at the Cleveland Clinic, with a healthy baby girl born this past June through the experimental protocol, with additional trials taking place in Texas, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and another scheduled for Israel. Only a very limited number of patients can take part in the trials at this time, but the success rates, which hover at 80 percent, are extremely encouraging.
After being introduced by Rabbi Mordechai Koenig, A TIME’s medical director, Dr. Falcone gave an informative presentation on the various steps of uterine transplant, detailing the process from donation through both live and deceased donors, undergoing in vitro fertilization to implant previously frozen embryos and delivery via cesarean section. According to Dr. Falcone, approximately 20 babies have been born worldwide to women who have undergone uterine transplants and he estimated that it could take ten years for the procedure to become available to the general public.
Addressing the gathering, Rabbi Chaim Aharon Unger, A TIME’s dayan and posek, observed that it was hard to believe that uterine transplants have become a reality.
“Just a few years ago this sounded like science fiction and it didn’t sound like it would actually happen,” said Rabbi Unger. “Thank G-d, here we have 20 babies.”
Rabbi Unger noted that while uterine transplants are succeeding through advanced medical science, he believes strongly that the tefilos of those who find themselves unable to bear children naturally are responsible for the technique’s success.
“It takes a lot of emunah and courage and bitachon to even pray for such a thing,” said Rabbi Unger. “So many tefilos and Baruch Hashem, we are standing here, so I really ask all of you to continue.”
In addition to offering a variety of programming and support services, A TIME has been involved with shidduchim for young women with MKRH syndrome and holds events for them as well. Just a few years ago, the group had a shabbaton at the home of A TIME founder and director Brany Rosen, and as it happened, Rosen was away at a conference that weekend. After Shabbos ended, the girls called Rosen at the conference with a question just as Rav Shmuel Kamentzky sat down near Rosen and her husband.
“I sent my husband over and told him to ask for a bracha for girls who b’derech hateva couldn’t have children,” recalled Rosen. “Rav Shmuel smiled and replied within seconds saying, ‘Hakadosh Baruch Hu can change the teva.’ When I repeated his answer to the girls one of them laughed, just like Sara Imeinu when she was told that she was going to have a baby.”
Rosen noted that at that time, Dr. Falcone and Rabbi Koenig both believed that uterine transplants would never come to America, leaving no hope for those with MKRH syndrome.
“The chances of these girls having a baby used to be zero and we never dreamed that anything like this could happen,” said Rosen. “This is an amazing medical breakthrough and these girls can experience regular pregnancies. When Rav Shmuel gave his bracha, he said it so simplistically but now it really is becoming teva.”
Rosen said that the feedback from the event was extremely positive, with participants overjoyed by the notion that uterine transplants could one day become as common as kidney transplants.
“I drove home from Manhattan and my heart was soaring,” said Rosen. “These girls’ lives have been totally changed. People need to know that uterine transplants exist and that we are here for them so that they don’t have to go it alone.”
