The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) yesterday refuted claims by a transgender Internet celebrity, known as Wang Yao (罔腰), that she was pregnant, adding that Taiwan does not permit uterine transplantation.
Wang Yao should not mislead the public with disinformation, the ministry said.
Wang Yao on Thursday posted on Instagram photos of a sonogram result saying that she was pregnant and that it was an “abdominal pregnancy.”
Department of Medical Affairs Director-General Liu Yueh-ping (劉越萍) said that no hospital in Taiwan has been approved to conduct uterus transplants, adding that abdominal pregnancy can cause fatal hemorrhaging and doctors usually recommend to abort the embryo under such conditions.
Abdominal pregnancies, especially after eight weeks, might cause perineal lacerations and massive hemorrhaging, she said.
The pregnant woman would experience stomach pain, nausea, loss of appetite, vertigo, increased heart rate, hypotension, quickness of breath, reduced body temperatures, and in severe cases, faint, go into shock or die, she said.
Liu called on Wang Yao to not mislead the public about the danger of such pregnancies.
One hospital has applied for a license to perform uterus transplants, and the application is under review, Liu said.
The ministry would investigate whether any hospitals in Taiwan have conducted uterus transplants illegally, Liu said, adding that this case is unlikely.
Separately, Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said yesterday that if Wang Yao’s post included medical advertising or promoted certain medical services, she might be fined for breaching the Medical Care Act (醫療法).
The department would closely monitor the situation, he added.
Additional reporting from CNA
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