Nation's First Uterus Transplant Performed at Cleveland Clinic

CLEVELAND, OH - Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic successfully performed the nation’s first uterus transplant.

A 26-year-old woman identified only as Lindsey underwent the nine-hour-long surgery last month, the hospital said in a press conference Monday.

The procedure was part of a research study that could eventually allow 10 women with uterine factor infertility (UFI) to receive transplants.

Lindsey expressed her gratitude toward her uterus donor’s family at the conference while seated in a wheelchair with husband Blake standing behind her.

She also thanked her team of doctor's for keeping her safe and making her feel like "family."

“When I was 16 I was told I would never have children," Lindsey said at the press conference. "From that moment on I have prayed that God would give me the opportunity to experience pregnancy and here we are today at the beginning of that journey."

Lindsey and Blake have three adopted boys and could potentially bring two new babies into the world thanks to the procedure.

Lindsey will remain in the hospital for another month or two until doctors are sure she is doing well. She will then return to her home at an undisclosed location.

Lindsey will have monthly check-ups at the clinic to ensure her body is not rejecting the new organ.

The patient went through in-vitro fertilization before the procedure and froze between eight and 10 fertilized eggs. After about a year of healing Lindsey will have the frozen embryos implanted one-by-one.

Lindsey could have up to two pregnancies that would be delivered via C-section. After these pregnancies her transplanted uterus will be removed so that she can stop taking anti-rejection drugs.

“Unlike any other transplants, [uterus transplants] are ‘ephemeral, they are not intended to last for the duration of the recipient’s life, but will be maintained for only as long as is necessary to produce one or two children,” Cleveland Clinic lead investigator Andreas Tzakis said in a clinic news release.

The first successful transplant was performed at Sweden's University of Gothenberg in 2014, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Sweden has since performed nine uterus transplants, achieving five pregnancies and four live births, the Cleveland Clinic reported.