Explore the world of the emerging high-stakes and life-changing medical intervention that made the uterus—long synonymous with womanhood and motherhood—sharable

Uterus transplantation is the fastest-growing transplant field in the world. Multiple clinical trials have concluded, scores of healthy babies have been born from transplanted uteri, and research is booming.

The Matter of Motherhood introduces readers to this cutting-edge, “life-enhancing” procedure—one that improves a recipient’s quality of life by restoring capacities that are considered necessary to live well.

Dr. Eric Plemons, the foremost researcher today on uterine transplantation, shares the stories of people who know it intimately:

• The women who longed to experience pregnancy but could not without a transplanted uterus
• The donors who felt they no longer needed their uterus—an organ doctors describe as “the perfect organ to give away”
• The leading surgeons who helped develop the practice through clinical trials

Like any new form of transplant, the procedure provokes expansive debates about justice, health, access, identity, and more. With the uterus, these debates are also entangled with the powerful emotions that accompany conversations around gender, family, motherhood, and reproductive politics.

Throughout The Matter of Motherhood, Dr. Plemons invites us to consider the questions that will arise, such as:

• Who will be qualified to receive a donated uterus?
• Who can be the donors?
• Does this procedure confirm a version of womanhood that requires maternity at all costs?

The experiences Dr. Plemons presents give readers a glimpse of what the future of reproduction can be when the uterus becomes mobile.

“An enlightening exploration of uterine transplantation . . . A profound and nuanced portrait of a controversial medical intervention.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“This book is a terrific read—engaging, smart, and well-researched. Eric Plemons, a cultural anthropologist, provides readers with a unique lens to appreciate the history, science, and changing societal attitudes of uterine transplants. No other body part has ignited so many questions about gender, parenthood, womanhood, and pregnancy—and what a transportable womb means for the donor, recipient, and potential offspring. Within a gripping narrative, Plemons challenges readers to consider the ethical and societal implications of the future possibilities of baby making. The Matter of Motherhood is a book that matters.”
—Randi Epstein, author of Aroused: The History of Hormones and How They Control Just About Everything

“A fascinating exploration of one of the most exciting and contentious frontiers in reproductive technology.”
—Leah Hazard, midwife and author of Womb: The Inside Story of Where We All Began

Preface

CHAPTER ONE
Some Unexpected Beginnings

CHAPTER TWO
The Crux of Desire

INTERLUDE
How to Transplant a Uterus: Part 1

CHAPTER THREE
A Uterus Isn’t the Same Thing Everywhere

CHAPTER FOUR
The Perfect Organ to Give Away

CHAPTER FIVE
Meet the Donors

INTERLUDE
How to Transplant a Uterus: Part 2

CHAPTER SIX
Join the Committee

CHAPTER SEVEN
Growing Babies and What Comes Next

APPENDIX
Known Costs and Possible Harms

Acknowledgments
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index