fetal transplantation

[mikado5001]

I know that we can do embryonic implantation for fertility/reproduction. But is it within the realm of possibility to transplant a fetus from one woman to another.

Say, for example, a woman goes for an abortion. And she is sedated/anesthetized. Could the fetus be removed?And than re-implanted into someone who wants a child, or would carry the child to term. I was thinking recently about organ transplantation. I can only imaging how astoundingly delicate the procedure would be.

But could this actually be done? Think of the innocent lives we would save. And I am beginning to REALLY understand how precious life is.

"I am the greatest pro-life argument ever conceived!!!"

I know I butchered that saying. But my point is made.

[hebrews_beauty]

Interesting thought. I'm not sure if it could be done, and I've never heard of it being done. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body starts undergoing changes to accomodate the developing fetus. To transplant the fetus from that woman to a woman who has not undergone the changes associated with pregnancy...I don't see how that would be possible. Even if it were, there would likely be other issues, such as medical ones like blood matching and legal ones like custody.

[kamusat]

I believe I watched a TV show several months ago ("Dirty Jobs"), about how they took a fetus from a pregnant thorough bred horse and put it into another horse to be carried to term. I think it was done so the racing horse could continue to race. I remember at the time I watched it, I was amazed.

But maybe I misunderstood what they really were doing.

Blessings, kamusat

[Jadzia44]

Well there was a fiction and I do mean completly fiction book written several years ago that asked that question. One major problem is that like with an organ transplant you would face problems of the host woman body rejecting the "foriegn" fetus. Her body would see it has a threat and would not maintian it. She would have to take medication similar to those of a transplant patient just to "fool" the body into accepting the fetus. Also, she would have to take some serious hormones prior to the transplant to make her body think it was pregnant. I really do not see how it would be possible given all the time persicion steps to make it possible and even if all that could be done there still would be no guarntee that the body would not reject the fetus. Just as their is no guarntee that a body won't reject an organ transplant. To me while on the sufrace it looks like a life saving treatment it would be just as cruel as an abortion. To put a fetus through all the surgeries, to remove and retransplant, all the hormone drugs and rejection drug therapy and for their to be no sure way to know if it would work seems horrible.

[Fiosh]

I know that we can do embryonic implantation for fertility/reproduction. But is it within the realm of possibility to transplant a fetus from one woman to another.

Say, for example, a woman goes for an abortion. And she is sedated/anesthetized. Could the fetus be removed?And than re-implanted into someone who wants a child, or would carry the child to term. I was thinking recently about organ transplantation. I can only imaging how astoundingly delicate the procedure would be.

But could this actually be done? Think of the innocent lives we would save. And I am beginning to REALLY understand how precious life is.

"I am the greatest pro-life argument ever conceived!!!"

I know I butchered that saying. But my point is made.

Hi Mikado!

Re: "PLEASE DON'T THINK ME CRAZY"

TOO LATE !!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know if it's possible, but if it was, imagine the cost. My guess is that it would be easier to pay the genetic mother the equivalent amount and have her carry the baby to term. Not that that would be so ethical either.

[mikado5001]

Hi Mikado!

Re: "PLEASE DON'T THINK ME CRAZY"

TOO LATE !!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know if it's possible, but if it was, imagine the cost. My guess is that it would be easier to pay the genetic mother the equivalent amount and have her carry the baby to term. Not that that would be so ethical either.

Oh thank you Fiosh.

Seriously, I could not help thinking about this most of yesterday. But still you got to wonder. If, and I know this is one giant if, it ever becomes possible. Imagine the saved lives.

But, what if a child who was meant to be aborted could be brought into this world? And kept alive and safe. What is more ethical? Killing an innocent life. Or giving a newborn life a chance it would otherwise not have. Late term abortion is not that dis-similar to pre-mature birth, is it? Final outcome aside that is. I have, for a long time, imagined a woman walking into a clinic. She is under a general anesthetic. The baby is removed, placed in an incubator, brought to health. And than placed with a family who can care for him, or her. I know fetal transplantation is, at the moment, a pipe dream. But that concept just popped into my brain.

And to be honest. As for paying a woman who cannot, or will not care for a new life. She should be compensated for bringing a child into the world. And as I maintained before. With medical science as it is today. A woman does not have to endure as much as they once did.

[DaniJ87]

I have thought of this in the past, too... It is really an interesting concept...

and I bet that nobody even researches the idea... because they would then no longer have their source of income from abortion...

[irishcowboy]

no different then having a sarogate mother....

one that would carry the fertilized egg of a nother woman....

been done...... egg fertilized, removed, replanted....

[CarolineS]

I would say this is totally impossible. Not to mention the risk of infection and possible spread of disease.

CarolineS

[RustyAngeL]

Interesting thought. I'm not sure if it could be done, and I've never heard of it being done. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body starts undergoing changes to accomodate the developing fetus. To transplant the fetus from that woman to a woman who has not undergone the changes associated with pregnancy...I don't see how that would be possible. Even if it were, there would likely be other issues, such as medical ones like blood matching and legal ones like custody.

Being in the medical field I don't see how. As was said it would have to be a perfect match and the outcome would most likely be failure. However it's an excellent question, and very well thought out.