First UK baby born after womb transplant from deceased donor

For Grace Bell, being told at 16 that she would never carry her own child was a moment she never forgot.

Now, cradling 10 week old Hugo, born just before Christmas 2025, she describes her son as “simply a miracle” after becoming the first woman in the UK to give birth using a womb transplanted from a deceased donor.

The landmark birth is being hailed as a breakthrough for families affected by rare conditions that mean pregnancy is not possible.

A baby born from an “incredible gift”

Hugo was born at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in west London, weighing just under 7lbs. His mum, Grace, who is in her 30s and from Kent, was born without a viable womb due to MRKH syndrome, a condition that affects around one in 5,000 women in the UK.

Women with MRKH syndrome do not have periods because the womb is absent or underdeveloped, but they usually have functioning ovaries.

Speaking about her son’s arrival, Grace said: “It was simply a miracle.

“I remember waking up in the morning and seeing his little face, with his little dummy in, and it felt like I needed to wake up from a dream.

“It was just incredible.”

Her partner, Steve Powell, and Grace also paid tribute to the donor and her family.

“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,” Grace said.

“A part of her will live on forever.”

The donor’s parents, who wish to remain anonymous, said they felt “tremendous pride” at the legacy left by their daughter. She donated five other organs which were transplanted into four people.

“Through organ donation, she has given other families the precious gift of time, hope, healing and now life,” her family said.

What is MRKH syndrome?

MRKH syndrome is a rare congenital condition where girls are born without a fully developed womb. It is often discovered during the teenage years when periods do not start.

Although those affected can have genetic children through IVF and surrogacy, carrying a pregnancy themselves has not traditionally been possible.

For Grace and Steve, their options were limited to surrogacy or hoping for a womb transplant as part of a clinical trial.

When Grace received the call to say a donor womb had become available, she said she was “in complete shock” and “really excited”.

The pioneering transplant and IVF journey

Grace’s transplant operation took place at The Churchill Hospital in Oxford in June 2024 and lasted 10 hours. Months later, the couple underwent IVF treatment at The Lister Fertility Clinic in London, followed by embryo transfer.

Hugo’s birth marks the first successful UK birth following a womb transplant from a deceased donor. It is part of a wider clinical research trial, with 10 transplants planned. Three procedures using deceased donors have taken place so far.

Earlier in 2025, baby Amy became the first UK baby born after a womb transplant from a living donor, when her mum received her sister’s womb.

Why this moment matters for families

Consultant gynaecologist Professor Richard Smith, from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, has researched womb transplantation for more than 25 years and was present at Hugo’s birth. He described it as “a ground-breaking moment”.

He said “a huge team of people” had been involved, from the transplant operation to embryo transfer and delivery.

Transplant surgeon Isabel Quiroga, joint team leader for the programme, said she was “delighted” and called the birth a breakthrough for organ transplantation in the UK.

“Very few babies have been born in Europe as a result of their mothers receiving a womb from a deceased donor,” she said.

“Our trial is seeking to discover whether this procedure could become an approved and regular treatment for some of the increasing number of women of child-bearing age who do not have a viable womb.”

More than 100 womb transplant operations have been carried out worldwide, leading to more than 70 healthy babies. A baby born following a womb transplant does not have any genetic link to the donor.

Grace and Steve have even honoured Professor Smith by giving Hugo the middle name Richard. The couple may consider a second child in the future. After that, the transplanted womb would be removed so Grace would not need to take long term medication to prevent rejection.

For families affected by MRKH syndrome and similar diagnoses, this latest birth offers something powerful. As Professor Smith has said, it shows that girls and young women who were told they did not have a womb can now have hope of carrying their own child.

For Grace, that hope is now sleeping peacefully in her arms.