A Womb of One’s Own?

Jen Dingle yearned to get pregnant and have children, but there was one problem: she was born without a uterus. So when she was ready to have children she was desperate to find a way to do it. That’s when she learned that a local research hospital was starting up a uterus transplant program – one of the first in the U.S. Jen shares her personal experience and we explore the risks, financial costs and ethical issues of this new combination of organ transplant and reproductive technology.  

Show Notes:

In addition to Jen Dingle, this episode features interviews with: 

Ruth Farrell, Vice Chair of Research of the OB/GYN and Women’s Health Institute, and Professor at the Center for Bioethics at the Cleveland Clinic

Liza Johanneson, Medical Director of Uterus Transplant, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center

You can learn more about the uterus transplant program at Baylor here. Dr. Farrell co-authored this article reviewing the state of uterus transplantation as of 2021. 

To learn more about the ethics issues raised in this episode, visit the Berman Institute’s episode guide. 

The Greenwall Foundation seeks to make bioethics integral to decisions in health care, policy, and research. Learn more at greenwall.org.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of those interviewed for this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.