#INfertility

[reasonsforhope]

"The first modern attempt at transferring a uterus from one human to another occurred at the turn of the millennium. But surgeons had to remove the organ, which had become necrotic, 99 days later. The first successful transplant was performed in 2011 — but even then, the recipient wasn’t immediately able to get pregnant and deliver a baby. It took three more years for the first person in the world with a transplanted uterus to give birth. 

More than 70 such babies have been born globally in the decade since. “It’s a complete new world,” said Giuliano Testa, chief of abdominal transplant at Baylor University Medical Center.

Almost a third of those babies — 22 and counting — have been born in Dallas at Baylor. On Thursday, Testa and his team published a major cohort study in JAMA analyzing the results from the program’s first 20 patients. All women were of reproductive age and had no uterus (most having been born without one), but had at least one functioning ovary. Most of the uteri came from living donors, but two came from deceased donors.

Fourteen women had successful transplants, all of whom were able to have at least one baby.  

“That success rate is extraordinary, and I want that to get out there,” said Liza Johannesson, the medical director of uterus transplants at Baylor, who works with Testa and co-authored the study. “We want this to be an option for all women out there that need it.”

Six patients had transplant failures, all within two weeks of the procedure. Part of the problem may have been a learning curve: The study initially included only 10 patients, and five of the six with failed transplants were in that first group. These were “technical” failures, Testa said, involving aspects of the surgery such as how surgeons connected the organ’s blood vessels, what material was used for sutures, and selecting a uterus that would work well in a transplant. 

The team saw only one transplant fail in the second group of 10 people, the researchers said. All 20 transplants took place between September 2016 and August 2019.

Only one other cohort study has previously been published on uterus transplants, in 2022. A Swedish team, which included Johannesson before she moved to Baylor, performed seven successful transplants out of nine attempts. Six women, including the first transplant recipient to ever deliver a baby back in 2014, gave birth.

“It’s hard to extract data from that, because they were the first ones that did it,” Johannesson said. “This is the first time we can actually see the safety and efficacy of this procedure properly.”

So far, the signs are good: High success rates for transplants and live births, safe and healthy children so far, and early signs that immunosuppressants — typically given to transplant recipients so their bodies don’t reject the new organ — may not cause long-term harm, the researchers said. (The uterine transplants are removed after recipients no longer need them to deliver children.) And the Baylor team has figured out how to identify the right uterus for transfer: It should be from a donor who has had a baby before, is premenopausal, and, of course, who matches the blood type of the recipient, Testa said...

“They’ve really embraced the idea of practicing improvement as you go along, to understand how to make this safer or more effective. And that’s reflected in the results,” said Jessica Walter, an assistant professor of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who co-authored an editorial on the research in JAMA...

Walter was a skeptic herself when she first learned about uterine transplants. The procedure seemed invasive and complicated. But she did her fellowship training at Penn Medicine, home to one of just four programs in the U.S. doing uterine transplants. 

“The firsts — the first time the patient received a transplant, the first time she got her period after the transplant, the positive pregnancy test,” Walter said. “Immersing myself in the science, the patients, the practitioners, and researchers — it really changed my opinion that this is science, and this is an innovation like anything else.” ...

Many transgender women are hopeful that uterine transplants might someday be available for them, but it’s likely a far-off possibility. Scientists need to rewind and do animal studies on how a uterus might fare in a different “hormonal milieu” before doing any clinical trials of the procedure with trans people, Wagner said.

Among cisgender women, more long-term research is still needed on the donors, recipients, and the children they have, experts said.

“We want other centers to start up,” Johannesson said. “Our main goal is to publish all of our data, as much as we can.”"

-via Stat, August 16, 2024

[jdsquared]

[lady-of-blossoms]

「 ✦ whispers of heartbreak ✦ 」

Warning: angst, infertility, mistress

PART 2

___________________________

The nightmare Y/N experiences throughout her life is having to accept the fact that her husband is careless, remarried and has two wives.

This is because you were unable to get pregnant and in the end were forced to agree to gojo remarrying.

His second wife's pregnancy made the whole family excited and all of gojo’s attention was focused on his second wife—Rebecca.

at dinner and the three of them gathered,gojo , Y/N and Rebecca.

He stroked Rebecca's stomach, who had been pregnant for 6 months. He turned to you who was eating while daydreaming

"Y/N , today I can't accompany you to sleep because I have to look after Rebecca, is that okay?" asked gojo who didn't make an expression when he saw you.

Youre eyes widened slightly at his request, a pang of hurt and disappointment shooting through your chest. You swallowed hard, trying to keep your emotions in check as you met his gaze.

"Of course, gojo," you replied softly, forcing a smile onto your face. "I understand. Congratulations again on your pregnancy, Rebecca." You offered a genuine smile towards his new wife, youre heart aching at the sight of him so enamored with someone else.

"I'll just go to bed early then," you continued, standing up from the table and gathering your plate. "Have a good night taking care of Rebecca." You gave a small nod before turning to leave, your steps heavy with unshed tears as you retreated to youre bedroom alone once more.

Gojo watched her leave, feeling a twinge of guilt for causing her pain. But he quickly pushed it aside, focusing back on Rebecca. He leaned down to kiss her forehead gently, his hand still resting on her growing belly.

"Thank you, darling," he murmured fondly, before turning his attention back to his meal. "How about we take a nap together after dinner? It might be nice to rest before the baby comes."

He glanced over at Y/N’s empty seat one last time, feeling a pang of regret for how things had turned out between them. But he knew there was nothing he could do to change it now.

In the privacy of their shared bedroom, Y/N allowed herself to crumble. Tears streamed down yourr face as you sank onto the edge of the bed, your body shaking with silent sobs. The sting of rejection cut deep, amplified by the constant reminder of your own infertility.

You curled into herself, hugging your knees tightly to your chest as if to hold yourself together. Your mind raced with painful thoughts - memories of happier times with gojo, dreams of a future that would never come to pass, and the bitter realization that your had lost the man she loved to another woman.

"Why couldn't I give him what he wanted?" You whispered brokenly to yourself, your voice muffled against your knees. "Why wasn't I enough?"

The ache in your heart felt suffocating, like a physical weight pressing against your chest.

Gojo finished his meal and excused himself from the table shortly afterward. As promised, he joined Rebecca in their bedroom for some rest.

He held her close, his arm draped protectively around her waist as they lay down together under the covers. His mind wandered back to Woojin briefly, but he quickly shook off those thoughts, choosing instead to focus on the warmth of Rebecca's body pressed against his own.

"We're going to be parents soon," he thought contentedly, and everything will finally fall into place."

But even amidst this happiness, a nagging sense of guilt lingered at the back of his mind – a guilt he refused to acknowledge fully.

A FEW MONTHS LATER

It was a bittersweet morning for Y/N. Today marked both her birthday and the day she had to share the spotlight with Rebecca giving birth. You awoke to the sound of commotion outside your room, nurses rushing past and gojo’s panicked voice echoing down the hallway.

"Y/N! Y/N!"

He burst into her room, his face flushed and eyes wild with excitement. "It's happening! Rebecca's in labor!"

Y/N sat up slowly, your heart sinking at the news. Of all days... you managed a weak smile, pushing down the swell of emotion threatening to overwhelm you.

"That's wonderful, gojo. Go be with her. I'm sure she needs you right now."

Feeling the weight of your loneliness press down on you, you got dressed quietly and slipped out of the house unnoticed. You needed space to process everything that was happening, away from prying eyes and judgemental gazes.

Walking aimlessly through the city streets, you found solace in the familiar rhythm of her footsteps and the comforting buzz of the bustling crowd around you. Each step further from home served as a reminder of your freedom - a freedom you cherished despite its bitter sweetness.

"Today should've been about me," you thought bitterly, "but instead, everyone's only talking about Rebecca."

Lost in your thoughts, You found herself at a local café where you ordered a cup of hot chocolate to warm yourself from within. You took a seat by the window overlooking the street below, watching people go about their lives without a care in the world.

Sipping slowly on your drink, you tried to push away feelings of resentment and sadness that threatened to consume you. Instead, you chose to remember happier times with gojo - birthdays spent together laughing until your sides hurt, simple dinners shared under twinkling lights.

"Maybe this is my punishment for not being able to bear children," you pondered silently. "Or maybe it's just part of life's cruel irony."

Next chapter

TAGLIST🤍❄️🫐🩵

@kuro-chi69 @aishies-stuff @kalopsia-flaneur @luns-exlipse @anonnieghost @aqxllo @chatoicboy @sashisuslover

Dont steal

[figmentforms]

AToTR update will be a few days late

Sorry about this again. I got more bad news from the doctor and as a result I have really struggled to focus and I’ve gotten behind on my work.

Look for it around the 4th, hopefully it will be done sooner though. Thank you all so much for your on-going patience and kindness. <3

If people want to know details, I’ve put them below a “keep reading” line because medical stuff is understandably icky sometimes and I also talk about my bad feels with it and that’s... that’s kinda a lot. For those concerned, my life isn’t in danger. The removed tumor is still diagnosed as not cancer. It just did a lot of damage and I have a few more surgeries and drugs and a gamble to make and I’m freaked out about it.

 So the tumor destroyed both my fallopian tubes and now I’m going to need a few more surgeries to either: A-try to repair them, or B- remove them. One has fluid in it and that will poison the womb if I try to do IVF, so at least one tube will probably have to be chopped out. Not sure about the other yet. Plus IVF egg retrieval is intense too (They knock you out and jab you with a big needle for every egg they take out) and I’m weary of the drugs I would have to take for it too (self injecting hormones in my tummy to get multiple eggs ready to harvest. With my medical history, these hormones could give me a stroke). ON TOP of that, I’m not even sure if my womb is even in good enough shape to do IVF at all after all the damage that the tumor left behind, I’m still waiting to get another ultrasound to see for sure. AND even WITH IVF and my other factors in consideration, the chance of even getting pregnant at ALL is like a coin toss. Not to mention the HUGE medical bills. 

I know some people won’t understand why I’m going through all this. Lots of people choose to not have biological children, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. People can have full and beautiful lives with or without kids and there should never be any judgement there. And adoption is a beautiful thing too, but it’s also a different journey and not one I feel ready for. In the US, it costs roughly 20 to 50 thousand dollars to adopt domestically, 75 thousand for international adoption. Fostering is MUCH less, but the goal is to get the child back to the bio mother, not for you to keep them. Even if the bio parent is a child abuser, I would be legally required to give the child back if the bio parent filled out a single simple scrap of paperwork within 3 years of having the child taken. My heart couldn’t take that.

 I’ve wanted to be able to get pregnant and have a child since i was a kid myself. I had names in mind. I had saved baby outfits. I got excited looking at maternity clothing. I feel like i have a huge hole ripped in my heart. I feel extremely broken, angry, and scared. Even if all this is ends up not working out, I still have to try because I can’t let my fear lead me to a life where I always wonder what could have been. To me, the regret of not trying is worse than all the pain, risk, and expense of trying.

Anyway, infertility can be really hard for some people. Please try to be kind to those who are going through this. I’m lucky because at least I have a loving and understand partner and a great support network of friends and family. Other people get abandoned over this sort of thing. My situation has been hard for me, but I also know I have a lot to be grateful for. Thank you so much to those who have reached out and shared your own experiences with this sort of thing. Even to people who just have kind words and encouragement to offer. I’m grateful for all of it and for all of you. <3

[thepeacefulgarden]

[prolifeproliberty]

Problems with Trump’s new proposal to make insurance companies/the government pay for IVF:

1. IVF is immoral. Human life begins at conception. Human embryos are human beings. IVF commodifies, destroys, and endangers human embryos. An embryo created in IVF is statistically more likely to die before birth than to make it to term. Even in “ethical IVF” where only one embryo is created and implanted at a time, for a woman under 35 that child has a 49% chance of dying before birth. There is no other circumstance in which we would tolerate putting a child in a situation where they had a 49% chance of dying. For women over 35 the survival rate goes down dramatically. Since older women are more likely to be candidates for IVF (you have to have been trying for a while before it’s even recommended, and many women today don’t start trying until their 30s or later), the chance of death for many embryos created in IVF is between 75-95%.

It is impossible to know the success rate for natural implantation, because a woman cannot know if she has conceived until after implantation has already occurred. However, it would be reasonable to assume that the natural method of conception would be less risky for the embryo than creating an embryo in a lab and trying to perfectly time the implantation attempt, often by using drugs that artificially manipulate the mother’s hormonal cycle.

Note: in the article linked above, a 60-65% success rate is referenced before they get to the age breakdown. However, it should be noted that that rate is for “genetically normal” embryos, implying that you only get that rate if you’ve already destroyed any embryos that are not genetically perfect. But even if you decide to be a eugenecist and not consider generally “inferior” embryos to be people, that’s still a 35-40% risk of death, which again we would not tolerate for any other situation involving a child.

2. Religious freedom. For the same reason we have the Hyde Amendment to prohibit federal funding of abortion, and for the same reason that Hobby Lobby won their Supreme Court case, forcing either taxpayers or employers to fund IVF is forcing people to participate in something they consider to be morally indefensible. Both the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptists have condemned IVF, along with many smaller denominations and individual churches/religious groups.

3. It is not the best solution to our birth rate issues. IVF will not get us to replacement rates. We need cultural shifts that encourage women to start having children in their 20s (many fertility issues stem from waiting too long) and better overall health for women (healthy food, less environmental toxins). Let’s instead focus on letting RFK Jr. step in as part of Trump’s cabinet and work on getting the toxins out of our food and fixing nutritional recommendations to reflect the actual science, not lobbyist agendas.

[butchbarbieagainstterfs]

Yeah I’m sorry, if your fearmongering about a surgery is causing people to openly admit they view afab people as nothing more than incubators whose entire life must be revolve around having children, then you cannot in any way call yourself a feminist.

She literally tweeted this to me, an infertile afab person, too. Think how this shit affects me mentally. This person is essentially saying that my life and body is worthless.

[pommegrantaire]

I guess angels and demons really don’t mix…

My first piece for @ineffablefamfeb had to be a sad one using the prompt “Struggling to conceive / infertility” because i love pain!

I feel like after trying for a very long time, they eventually think about adoption. But then the idea of adopting a mortal child who they would outlive is a whole other painful thing to think about.

[littleflowerfaith]

Please pray for my husband and I that we are able to have a baby ❤️‍🩹 we want so badly to be parents but are so far unable to have children. It’s heartbreaking

[cuckedbyannak]

That’s… valid? Ask her anyways!!!

[lady-of-blossoms]

「 ✦ Whispers of heartbreak 2!✦ 」

Part 2

Part 1

____________________

Gojo has ignored you for the past week, and has only payed attention to Rebecca

When you walk into your bedroom you get jump scared by seeing a woman lying in your and gojo’s master bedroom, the woman in question, Rebecca, was just reading a book.

"Rebecca??? Why are you in my bedroom???" You said perplexed voice.

"Oh, Y/N?, why are you here, in **my** bedroom?" she stammered out in a gasp

“What…what do you mean you’re bedroom?, this is mine and gojo’s bedroo-" you were in the middle of speaking but you get interrupted by gojo opening the bathroom door, looking like he just went out the shower

"Y/N? Oh, I probably forgot to tell you, this is mine and Rebecca’s room now" he said in a calm manner as her lays down and cups Rebecca’s waist

"What….No, this is my room…?” You said on the verge of tears, but you fidget with your nails behind your back

"No Y/N, not anymore, you can have the guest room" he said as he passionately kisses Rebecca’s cheek

That’s your breaking point, everything shatters but have you keep in because you’ve never been important to anyone. "Oh..ok, hope you guys are comfortable" you say while forcing a smile and leaving the room, as soon as you leave the room you sprint to the guest bedroom.

As soon as you arrive to the guest room you fall into the floor and you crumble completly, you clutch your heart through your shirt and sob, tears freely stream down your face, you think about how this wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t been infertile.

You take a razer blade out of your pocket, and then you start cutting, your delicate skin on your thighs and arms cut up and bleeding, the only thought going through your head is "who is gonna comfort me when blood is dripping down my arms and thighs". You end up falling asleep cuddling yourself and rubbing your own back, while clutching a test.

…..part 3?

Taglist: @kuro-chi69 @kalopsia-flaneur @aishies-stuff @luns-exlipse @anonnieghost @aqxllo @chatoicboy @sashisuslover @forever-war @nssatre @sukunaspillow @qashmer

PS: IM SO SORRY ABOUT THE RANDOMNESS IN THIS CHAPTER😭😔

[lady-of-blossoms]

「 ✦ Whispers of heartbreak ✦ 」

Part 1, part 2

____________________

-the test in you’re hands, well to be more specific a pregnancy test, one that Rebecca left behind in the guest room, as expected it’s negative, at least you tried.

All you could think about was how unfair it was, a fucking second wife, sleeping in your bed, ok fine, she did give birth a week ago, but still, to kick you out of the room, that’s just plain cruel, you can’t blame Rebecca, this is gojo’s fault, fuck gojo fuck everything about him, but you can’t hate him, cuz it’s your first love, and the first one’s always hurt, why did you even agree to give him a second wife.

You sit and hold the baby, it isn’t yours, but you can’t blame the baby can you? It didn’t choose to be born to this fucking awful environment, the reason why you’re babysitting is because gojo and Rebecca wanted to have a night out, you try to Rememeber the last time you and gojo had a night out together…Alone, 2 years ago on your anniversary, but it brings back bad memories 9 months ago on your anniversary was the time gojo and Rebecca announced their pregnancy.

But fuck this shit , you put the baby down in the crib, you’re gonna have a good time out, you change into sexy, and turn off your location, you drive all the way to a club.

When you wake up, you’re next to a random man all naked, you groan and check you’re phone, surprisingly 48 notifications from gojo, you put on you’re clothes and drive back, due to your drunkness you ended up getting railed by a random man, how convinient.

When you open the front door, you are met with a screaming gojo

“WHAT THE FUCK Y/N, WHY DID YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE, THE BABY COULD’VE DIED, REBECCA IS HYSTERICALLY CRYING!??” He screams at you loudly as he slaps you

Your cheek burns and stings, you immediately clutch your cheek, you take a sharp intake of air, and then you look back at him with sharp eyes boring into his soul "HOW could you gojo, you just slapped me…?" You said your Voice barely over a whisper.

Before he can Even respond youre running to the guest room passing the crying Rebecca as she clutches her baby "YOU FUCKING SELFISH INFERTILE BITCH!" She screams at you.

You lock the door and fall down to the floor clutching your heart, this hurts you much…why?.

Taglist:

Ps: If you see any spelling mistakes in this chapter, please dont comment about it, i rushed this chapter