Examining the impact of solid organ transplantation on family planning: pre- and post-transplantation pregnancy evaluations for both women and men

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to collect and analyze information from pregnancies of organ transplanted women and partners of organ transplanted men. The goal was to enhance counseling regarding pregnancy planning and management and to enable more targeted monitoring to improve maternal and child health. Methods In this retrospective, multicenter cohort study, women and men aged 18 to 45 who had undergone organ transplantation in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland were surveyed about their pregnancies before and after transplantation by using a self-developed questionnaire. Results Even through transplanted women planned their pregnancies more carefully than before transplantation, they still experienced more pregnancy complications afterward. The live birth rate for pregnancies of partners of transplanted men, especially men who received a thoracic organ, was lower compared to before transplantation. Furthermore, this study showed that pregnancies of the partners of male transplant recipients occurred significantly less by spontaneous conception in comparison to pregnancies of transplanted women. Conclusion Pregnancies after organ transplantation are possible but associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications. Therefore, early counseling for transplanted women and men who wish to have children, along with extensive monitoring during pregnancy, is necessary.