Sexual life and motherhood

Every woman with Rokitansky Syndrome can have an active sexual life. Knowledge of one’s own body is an important step for all women to know the sensations that give them pleasure. The relationship between two people should be built with various forms of intimacy and pleasure, in addition to vaginal intercourse.

During the therapeutic dilation process and even after the end of treatment, vaginal penetration can cause pain and discomfort. It is important to evaluate whether the pain is bearable or exceeds the woman’s tolerance, causing physical and emotional suffering. This way, the woman can learn to experience pleasure through penetration without trauma.

Motherhood

For women with absent or underdeveloped uterus, natural and physiological pregnancy is not feasible. In this case, there are other possibilities for those who want to experience motherhood.

Pregnancy can be carried out by another woman, called a surrogate mother, after in vitro fertilization of the eggs, taken from the woman with the syndrome, and the partner’s or donor’s sperm. This way, the child will be genetically related to the woman or the couple. According to the Federal Council of Medicine, temporary uterus donation is only possible for women who have a family relationship up to the 4th degree with the couple. Surrogate motherhood by friends or acquaintances is possible after consultation with the Regional Council of Medicine.

Adoption is always recommended for women who want to become a mother but cannot or do not want to go through pregnancy. The adoption process brings beautiful stories to families and children. The process should be initiated in the closest child-and-youth court to the future mother’s residence.

Uterine transplant is still considered an experimental option due to its high complexity. It was first performed in Sweden in 2014 with a living donor and in Brazil in 2016 with a deceased donor. The procedure begins with in vitro fertilization and freezing of embryos. A compatible living or deceased uterine donor is sought, and then the transplant is performed. The transplanted woman needs to use immunosuppressive medications for several months to ensure that the body does not reject the donated uterus, and only after this period, the embryo is implanted. The delivery should be by cesarean section, and if there are no complications in pregnancy, the transplanted woman can decide whether to keep the uterus for a second pregnancy or have it removed.

With the advancement of resources and research in the medical field, it is possible that other options for women with Rokitansky Syndrome will be available soon.