Womb transplants 'within two years'

British scientists believe they will be able to carry out the first-ever successful womb transplant within two years. They have worked out how to transplant a womb with a good blood supply which could mean it lasts long enough to carry a pregnancy to term.

A breakthrough in this area would offer an alternative to adoption or surrogacy for women whose wombs have been damaged by diseases such as cervical cancer. Around 15,000 women of childbearing age have a womb that does not work or were born without one.

Richard Smith, consultant gynaecological surgeon at Hammersmith Hospital in London, presented his latest research on rabbits at a US fertility conference. He and his team now need £25,000 for the next area of research and £250,000 to complete a set of studies but have been denied grants by several medical research bodies.

They have set up a charity, Uterine Transplant UK, and say the first human transplant could be carried out within two years if they raise enough funds. Their most recent study involved five donor rabbits and five recipients.

Five...