Donors' health-related quality-of-life and psychosocial outcomes 3 years after uterus donation for transplantation
Authors: Järvholm Stina , Kvarnström Niclas , Dahm-Kähler Pernilla , Brännström Mats 
Published: May 2019

STUDY QUESTION

What are the effects on donors' health-related quality-of-life, mood and marital relationship 2 and 3 years after uterus donation for transplantation?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Overall, uterus donors were relatively stable regarding health-related quality-of-life, mood and marital relationship after donation, although slight negative deviations existed in a few participants, presumably associated with older age or with continued non-pregnancy outcomes from the donation.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Uterus transplantation has recently proved to be a successful treatment for absolute uterine factor infertility. However, there is no previous research on health-related quality-of-life and long-term psychosocial outcomes of donors. The present cohort of nine donors represents the cases of the first clinical uterus transplantation study, which took place in Sweden. Long-term follow-up studies of health-related quality-of-life in other living donors, such as of kidneys and livers, suggest that donors have above average quality-of-life prior to donation and that this typically continues during the years after donation. In our previous 1-year report on psychosocial and quality-of-life outcomes, we found that two out of nine donors showed decreased health-related quality-of-life at 6 and 12 months post donation.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

This complete, prospective cohort study included the nine donors of the first uterus transplantation trial, which took place in Sweden in 2013. Donors were assessed by questionnaires 2 and 3 years after surgery for uterus donation.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

The nine donors (aged 39 to 62 years) were all a close relative or friend of their recipient. Physical and mental component summaries of health-related quality-of-life were measured with the SF-36 questionnaire. Mood was assessed by the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale. Relationship with partner was measured with the Dyadic Adjustment Scale.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

The physical and mental components of the SF-36 were generally above the mean scores for a normative population. At Year 3, the two oldest donors (above 60 years of age at surgery) showed clear negative deviations in the physical component. The mental component summary of SF-36 was essentially unaltered overall at Year 2, but slight negative deviations were seen in three donors at Year 3. These three donors were among the four with unsuccessful pregnancy outcomes for the recipients following donation. Scores of anxiety and depression (mood) were within normative values for all donors at Year 2, but one donor presented with increased (worse) values for both variables at Year 3. Two donors showed signs of relationship distress during the follow-up period and another had divorced during this period.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

The small sample size is a limitation.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

The present study suggests that live uterus donation does not in general negatively influence health-related quality-of-life, mood and relationship in a 2 to 3-year perspective follow-up. Longer follow-up studies, including larger number of donors and in different cultural settings, are needed.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

The Jane and Dan Olsson Foundation for Science; the 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-Sandbloms and Greta Jonzéns Foundation. The authors have no competing interests.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT01844362