Doctors have figured out just why the first ever uterus transplant in the United States failed.

They believe the failure was due to an infection that may have comrpomised the blood supply, the Cleveland Clinic said in a statement.

The operation was part of an ongoing study on the feasibility of such transplant, so the findings resulted in a modification of protocols in such operations to lower the chance that this happens again.

The procedure happened Feb. 24.

It’s a disappointing result for what was to be a monumental step forward in medicine. It would have provided tremendous hope to women who couldn’t bear children of their won, but the celebration will have to wait.

The patient, Lindsey, thanked the medical team in a statement. She said while she was disappointed the transplant didn’t work out, she was grateful that doctors had moved quickly to remove the uterus and ensure her health and safety.

The operation was part of a study that will involve 10 women, so there is still hope that a future surgery will be successful.

“Preliminary results suggest that the complication was due to an infection caused by an organism that is commonly found in a woman’s reproductive system,” the statement reads. “The infection appears to have compromised the blood supply to the uterus, causing the need for its removal. There is an ongoing review of all the data and the team is modifying the protocol to reduce the chances of this complication occurring again in the future. The health of our patient is and has always been our primary concern.”