Penis op pioneer loses baby

IT was meant to be a time of celebration and joy for the world’s first penis transplant recipient and his wife, with their baby due to be born this week — but instead, the Eastern Cape couple are mourning the loss of their Christmas miracle.

The baby would have been the first child fathered by a penis transplant recipient. The nine-hour operation was performed on December 11 last year. The man’s identity has not been revealed.

A source close to the medical team confirmed the loss of the baby at a very late stage in the pregnancy.

The baby was due on Tuesday. It is understood that the loss of the baby was not related to the transplant procedure in any way, but was purely due to medical complications.

The Sunday Times understands that the mother moved to the Eastern Cape two months ago to be with her mother while her husband, a shift worker, stayed in Cape Town.

The source said the family did not want to divulge any details of their loss as it was very sensitive.

“The patient does not under any circumstances want any contact with the media and hopes that his request for privacy, especially in this difficult time, is respected.”

In 2011, the man, who was 18 at the time, had to have his penis amputated after a botched traditional circumcision.

Three years later, he became the first successful recipient of a penis transplant.

Despite one or two infections, which have been successfully treated, he was still doing well and there were no problems with the new organ.