First uterus transplant in the U.S. fails after serious complication

One day after the Cleveland Clinic held a press conference to celebrate what doctors thought was the first successful uterus transplant in the United States, the patient had to have the organ removed.

On Tuesday, the uterus was surgically removed after the woman, identified as 26-year-old Lindsey, developed a serious complication, officials with the Cleveland Clinic announced Wednesday. The uterus is now being analyzed by pathologists to determine what went wrong, The New York Times reports. Lindsey's transplant was the first of 10 planned by the Cleveland Clinic, and officials said those surgeries will still take place.

In Sweden, nine women have had uterus transplants, resulting in five births. The transplants in Sweden used live donors, while Lindsey's donor was a woman in her 30s who died suddenly. Uterus transplants give women without the organ the chance to become pregnant, and Lindsey, who was born without a uterus, said during the press conference on Monday she was "beyond thankful" to her donor and doctors for making it possible for her to attempt to get pregnant. In a statement released Wednesday, Lindsey said she was doing well and recovering, and was grateful to her doctors who "acted very quickly to ensure my health and safety."

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