First UK Baby Born After Womb Transplant From Deceased Donor
A baby boy has made UK medical history after becoming the first child born to a mother who received a womb transplant from a donor who had died.
Hugo Richard Norman Powell was delivered by caesarean section in December at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. He weighed 6lb 13oz (3.1kg).
His mother, Grace Bell, who was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare condition that means she did not have a functioning womb, described the moment as life-changing. "It’s simply a miracle. I never, ever thought that this would be possible. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life." Ms Bell was diagnosed with MRKH at 16. She has said she remembers "going into the hospital toilets and uncontrollably crying" after being told she would never carry her own child.
The road to Hugo
The transplant surgery took place in 2024 at the Oxford Transplant Centre, part of Oxford University Hospitals. Several months later, Ms Bell underwent IVF treatment at The Lister Fertility Clinic. The couple, who are both in their 30s and living in the south of England, had initially planned to pursue surrogacy before joining the UK womb transplant programme.
Hugo’s middle name, Richard, honours Professor Richard Smith, who leads the charity Womb Transplant UK and has worked on womb transplantation research for more than two decades.
Prof Smith, who was present at the birth, said: "It’s been an unbelievable journey. Our whole team has been hanging together now for years and years to make this happen. So to me, it’s been fantastic, just amazing."
On learning the baby would carry his name, he said: "I’ve delivered over 1,000 babies in my life. Never has a baby been named after me. That did make me cry, straight up. It’s been quite emotional, very emotional."
Ms Bell has spoken often about the woman whose womb made Hugo’s birth possible. "There are no words to say thank you enough to my donor and her family," she said. "Their kindness and selflessness to 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 and her 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."
Five of the donor’s other organs were transplanted into four people, saving their lives.
Womb transplants still in clinical trial stage in UK
Only two similar births from deceased womb donors have previously been reported in Europe. Around 25 to 30 babies worldwide have been born following deceased womb donation, while most womb transplants globally involve living donors.
In the UK, womb donation from someone who has died requires specific consent from the family and is not covered by standard organ donor registration.
Surgeons say the programme is still in its clinical trial stage. So far, five womb transplants have been carried out in the UK, with two using living donors and three from deceased donors. Two babies have now been born from womb transplants.
Ms Bell and Mr Powell may try for a second child. After that, doctors plan to remove the transplanted womb so she does not have to remain on long-term immunosuppressant medication.
