Woman's Uterus Transplant Story Has Incredible Start

It remains to be seen whether America's first uterus transplant will be a success, but luck appears to be on the side of the first recipient: In what a Cleveland Clinic doctor says he considered an "act of God," details of a matching donor appeared just minutes after the first patient's name was put on the waiting list, the New York Times reports. Within 24 hours, the 26-year-old woman from Texas had received the transplant after nine hours of surgery. The patient, identified only as Lindsey, spoke to reporters on Monday and told them how grateful she was to the "amazing team of doctors and all the nurses and staff who have worked around the clock to ensure my safety," and to the unidentified donor, whose family she prays for daily.

Lindsey was born without a uterus and says she was devastated at age 16 when she was told she would never be able to get pregnant. Over the years, she adopted three boys with her husband, Blake, but she says she kept praying for the chance to experience pregnancy and childbirth, NBC News reports. Lindsey, one of 10 women with healthy ovaries chosen from more than 250 applicants for the trial program, will have to spend a lot more time healing and undergo IVF before she can become pregnant, but if all goes well, she will be able to give birth around two years from now, giving new hope to an estimated 50,000 American women who are also believed to be suitable candidates for uterus transplants. (More uterus transplant stories.)