Uterus transplantation: joys and frustrations of becoming a 'complete' woman-a qualitative study regarding self-image in the 5-year period after transplantation.

<bold>Study Question: </bold>How is a women's self-image affected by uterus transplantation (UTx)?<bold>Summary Answer: </bold>Women experienced receiving a uterus in both positive and negative ways, but in general, their self-image was positively affected; regardless of whether they have given birth to a child or not, recipients describe themselves as being 'back to normal' after the hysterectomy to remove the transplanted uterus.<bold>What Is Known Already: </bold>UTx has repeatedly proved to be a successful treatment for absolute uterine factor infertility. However, there has been no previous qualitative long-term research into the self-image of women undergoing UTx.<bold>Study Design, Size, Duration: </bold>This complete, prospective cohort study included the nine recipients of the first UTxs performed in Sweden mostly in 2013. Interviews took place in the 5 years following surgery.<bold>Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: </bold>Eight out of the nine recipients had congenital absence of the uterus, a characteristic of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, and one recipient lacked a uterus after a radical hysterectomy due to cervical cancer. The mean age of participants was 31.5 years at inclusion and at this time they all lived in stable marital relationships. Post-transplantation, interviews were performed annually for 5 years, comprising a total of 43 interviews. The interview followed a semi-structured guide. All interviews (median duration of around 25 minutes) were recorded, transcribed verbatim and then analysed by thematic approach.<bold>Main Results and the Role Of Chance: </bold>The joys and frustrations of becoming a 'complete' woman are seen as a master theme, which influences the three underlying subthemes, a changed self-perception, a changed body and a changed sexuality. Each of these subthemes have three underlying categories.<bold>Limitations, Reasons For Caution: </bold>The small sample size is a limitation.<bold>Wider Implications Of the Findings: </bold>The results provide information that will be helpful in pre-operative screening procedures and in the psychological support offered both to women who experienced successful and unsuccessful outcomes following UTx.<bold>Study Funding/competing Interest(s): </bold>Funding was received from the Jane and Dan Olsson Foundation for Science; the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation; an ALF grant from the Swedish state under an agreement between the government and the county councils; the Swedish Research Council; a Ferring Pharmaceuticals scholarship in memory of Robert Edwards; and the Iris Jonzén-Sandblom and Greta Jonzén Foundation. The authors have no competing interests.<bold>Trial Registration Number: </bold>NCT01844362. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]