Transgender couple’s pregnancy announcement sparks medical controversy
An Internet celebrity who underwent sex reassignment surgery to become a woman announced that she was pregnant yesterday, sparking skepticism and controversy among the public and medical community.
Jiang Jiawen (江嘉文) who goes by the nickname “Wang Yao,” made the announcement via Instagram yesterday, February 18, showing a picture of her belly, along with an ultrasound showing a foetus. Jiang said that she was 12 weeks pregnant.
The 28-year-old Internet celebrity underwent sex reassignment surgery in Thailand in 2017.
The pregnancy announcement sparked intense discussion on the Internet, with people questioning how one could be pregnant without a uterus. Jiang’s boyfriend, who is us unnamed in reports, explained that his partner had taken part in experimental medical human subject testing.
Jiang’s boyfriend said that the operation was expensive and risky, but Jiang really wanted to have a baby. The couple claims that it is an “abdominal” (ectopic) pregnancy.
The statement sparked controversy, and even anger in the medical community. Obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr Su Yining, wrote on his Facebook page: “Abdominal pregnancy? Human experiment? My phone started ringing early this morning … based on medical common sense, just one word. I bless you but don’t talk nonsense.”
While the ultrasound image had the name partially obscured, it seemed to point to Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital. Dr Long Zhenyu, director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, and Dr Cai Yingmei, director of the Department of Reproductive Medicine, spoke to reporters this morning to refute the claims, and said that there is no medical record of the pregnancy or ultrasound examination at the hospital.
The chance of getting pregnant without a uterus is very slim, Dr Long said.
Dr Long said that although Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital is currently the first hospital in southern Taiwan to apply for a human experiment for a uterine transplant, it is still in the experimental stage, and there is no charge for human trials.
Dr Long said that he would seek legal consultation before deciding whether to file a complaint about the matter.
Dr Liu Yueh-ping, director of the Department of Medical Affairs of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said in a telephone joint interview with reporters today that there is indeed a domestic hospital that applied to the Ministry of Health and Welfare for a human trial of uterine transplantation. However, because this matter involves artificial reproduction laws and ethical issues, the matter is serious and must be investigated.
According to the National Health Administration no human trial for uterine transplantation has been approved so far. It’s unlikely a hospital would take the risk to do this illegally, Liu said.
Dr Liu said that an ectopic pregnancy is very dangerous, and can cause death at any time. Any doctor who sees an ectopic pregnancy will deal with it immediately. However, the Internet celebrity misled the public, by treating the issue as if it were nothing at all, which is quite wrong.
Errata: This report previously referred to Jiang’s boyfriend using the name “Pineapple.” Pineapple is now Jiang’s ex-boyfriend after the couple broke up in October 2020.
Taiwan English News is an independent publication with no corporate funding. If you found this article informative, and would like to support my work, please buy me a coffee or support me on Patreon. Subscribe to Taiwan English News for free to receive the latest news via email. Advertising queries are welcome. Share, like, comment below.
I AM NOT, I REPEAT NOT LISTENING TO OR READING PERVERTED SHI-. SHOULD THIS CONTINUE I WILL DROP YOUR NEWS AND I WILL WARN OTHERS TO DO SO. I NEVER IN MY LIFE EXPECTED THIS PERVERSION FROM TAIWAN, I FELT THE TAIWAN PEOPLE WERE THE MOST LEVEL HEADED ON EARTH.