credit: Womb Transplant UK
The ‘miracle baby boy’ – born following his mother’s groundbreaking womb transplant
In an historic breakthrough, a bouncing baby boy has become the first child to be born in the UK after his mother was transplanted with a womb from a deceased donor. His delighted parents say he is their ‘miracle baby.’
This transplant was one of a planned series of ten similar procedures in an approved clinical research trial initiated and funded by the charity, Womb Transplant UK.
Only three babies have now been born across Europe after their mothers received a womb from a deceased donor.
Weighing in at 3.1 kg (6.95lbs) Hugo Richard Norman Powell was born by caesarean section just before Christmas at the Queen Charlottes and Chelsea Hospital in London. Both baby Hugo and his delighted mother Grace Bell are very well. “It was simply a miracle!” she said. “We are so happy, so grateful!”
Grace and her partner Steve Powell who live in Southern England, have given baby Hugo his second name, Richard, after Professor Richard Smith, who began research into the feasibility of womb transplants over 25 years ago.
Grace, who is in her 30s, and was born without a viable womb, said it was impossible to adequately thank her donor’s parents for enabling her to carry and give birth to her own child.
“There are no words to say thank you enough to my donor and her family. Their kindness and selflessness towards a complete stranger is the reason I have been able to fulfil my lifelong dream of being a mum. I hope they know that my child will always know of their incredible gift, and the miracle that brought him into this world. I think of my donor andher family every day and pray they find some peace in knowing their daughter gave me the biggest gift, the gift of life. A part of her will live on forever.”
“I also want to express my deepest thanks to the medical teams who have supported me throughout this journey. I have met some of the most caring and loving people who gave their time, expertise, and incredible support to help me achieve my ultimate dream of having a baby. I am in awe of their teamwork, dedication, and belief in me, especially when I never thought this outcome was possible.”
Meanwhile, the bereaved parents of the donor, whose organs have also helped several other people, have said that while nothing could dull the pain of losing their beloved daughter, they take comfort in the knowledge that she not only saved lives but also, has now helped to create life.
“Losing our daughter has shattered our world in ways we can barely put into words. The grief is overwhelming, and the ache of her absence is something we will carry forever. Yet even in this unimaginable pain, we’ve found a small measure of solace in knowing that her final act, her choice, was one of pure generosity. Through organ donation, she has given other families the precious gift of time, hope, healing and now life.”
“As her parents, we feel tremendous pride at the legacy she leaves behind — a legacy of compassion, courage, and love that continues to touch lives – even after her passing. We urge others to consider donation, so that more people in desperate need, may be given the chance to live, just as our daughter so selflessly wished.”
Grace, whose partner Steve is also in his 30s, underwent a womb transplant operation at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford in June 2024. Some months later the couple received IVF treatment followed by embryo transfer at The Lister Fertility Clinic in London.
In the UK, one in every 5,000 females is born with normal ovaries but without a viable womb, a condition known as Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Houser syndrome (MRKH). Until recently, these women, and many others who have lost their womb as a result of cancer or other illnesses, were unable to carry and give birth to their own children. Across the UK, it is calculated that at least 15,000 women of childbearing age, are currently unable to carry and give birth to their own children.
An active support group of patients works to help newly diagnosed with MRKH and new mum, Grace Bell, also paid its members a heartfelt tribute:
“To the MRKH community: while this diagnosis was devastating to me at the age of 16, the silver lining has been finding my forever friends, who are more like sisters — the ones who truly understand. If anyone is struggling not having a viable womb, please reach out to this community. I could not have found the courage to do this without you. My hope is that one day this option to motherhood will become much more accessible, so others may have the same chance I have been given.”
Consultant obstetrician at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital, Miss Bryony Jones, who has now delivered both babies born in the UK following their mothers’ womb transplants, congratulated the new parents. “It is simply wonderful to see the joy that this has brought to a couple who have faced such heartache in the past. I think the fact that we have shown that this is a viable option for women like Grace in order for them to carry their own child, I think that is wonderful”.
Gynaecologist Professor Richard Smith, who began research to assess the potential of uterine transplantation over 25 years ago and founded the charity, Womb Transplant UK, said: “We are all so pleased for the ‘new’ parents and we hope many more couples will be able to experience the same joy. We too wish to thank the parents of the donor who have suffered so much pain at their loss. There can be no greater gift of mankind, than the gift of life.”
Transplant surgeon and joint team leader, Miss Isabel Quiroga, said this latest birth was a breakthrough for organ transplantation in the UK. “This is a ground-breaking moment. Very few babies have been born throughout Europe after their mothers had received a womb from a deceased donor and our trial is seeking to discover whether this procedure could become an approved and regular treatment for women of children bearing age who do not have a viable womb. Infertility is causing so much harm to our society and is frequently a devastating condition for thousands of women and couples in this country.”
(The donation of wombs for patients of this clinical research programme is not automatic as in the case of other organs. It is only allowed in the UK through a special and extra request, to compatible potential donors, made after a family has already agreed to donate organs covered by the usual national system. Families can always decline or agree to this extra request.)
(NB: A baby born following the transplantation of a womb from a deceased donor, does not have any genetic links with the donor.)
Womb Transplant UK runs two transplant programmes: firstly, a series of five transplants where a womb is donated to a patient by a close living relative and secondly, an approved clinical trial of ten transplants of a womb from a deceased donor.
The first ‘womb transplant’ baby. Amy Davidson, was born at Queen Charlottes and Chelsea Hospital in early 2025 after her aunt donated her womb to Amy’s mother, Grace Davidson. Around the world, well over 100 womb transplant operations have now been performed and more than 70 healthy babies have been born as a result.
The Charity Womb Transplant UK was formed to raise and manage funds to pay for its research and the running of the two transplant programmes and to cover the costs of the operations and other treatments incurred by the NHS. The Charity is working to raise a further £500,000 to fund the completion of the clinical trial.
For more information about uterine transplantation, please visit: WombTransplantUK.org
For Media Enquires (only), please call: Neil Huband on 07808 298989.
Watch this film of a family’s joy at the birth of their ‘Miracle Baby’ following many years of heartache and sadness.
And then, see the dedication and ambition of the team of doctors following their 26 years of mostly self- funded research!
Our Charity, Womb Transplant UK thanks its Patrons and All who have supported its research enabling now, two mothers to give birth to their own babies!