In a remarkable medical breakthrough, a baby boy has become the first child in the UK to be born from a womb transplanted from a deceased donor. Grace Bell, a 30-something woman from Kent who was born without a functional womb due to MRKH syndrome, welcomed her son Hugo just before Christmas in 2025. This extraordinary event not only marks a significant advancement in reproductive medicine but also offers hope to many women facing similar challenges.
A Journey of Hope and Gratitude
Grace Bell, alongside her partner Steve Powell, expressed profound gratitude towards the donor and their family for this “incredible gift.” The couple’s emotional journey highlights the kindness behind organ donation. “Words can’t explain what this experience has meant to us,” Bell shared in a heartfelt statement to the BBC. Hugo, who now weighs nearly 7lbs, was born at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London, and Bell described the moment as “simply a miracle.”
Bell is one of approximately 5,000 women in the UK affected by MRKH syndrome, a condition resulting in the absence of a womb and menstrual cycles, although the ovaries remain intact. In her teenage years, Bell learned she would not be able to carry her own child. The couple’s only viable option was to seek a womb transplant or consider surrogacy. When she received the life-changing call about a donor womb, Bell was overwhelmed with emotions: “I was in complete shock and really excited, but also aware of the donor family’s incredible gift.”
The Medical Breakthrough
The womb transplant procedure, which lasted 10 hours, was conducted at The Churchill Hospital in Oxford in June 2024. Following the transplant, the couple underwent IVF treatment at The Lister Fertility Clinic in London, ultimately leading to the successful embryo transfer that resulted in Hugo’s birth.
This achievement is particularly noteworthy as it represents the first successful birth from a deceased donor womb in the UK. The surgical team, led by consultant gynaecologist Professor Richard Smith, has been working towards this goal for over 25 years. “This moment gives hope to many women who have been told they cannot carry their own children,” Smith stated. Hugo’s birth is part of a clinical trial involving ten womb transplants, with several more planned.
Looking Ahead
Reflecting on their journey, Bell and Powell are considering the possibility of expanding their family. After a second child, the plan is to remove the transplanted womb, which would prevent Bell from needing lifelong medication to suppress her immune response. The couple chose to honour Professor Smith by giving their son the middle name Richard, symbolising their gratitude for the medical team’s dedication.
Isabel Quiroga, a transplant surgeon and joint team leader, expressed her excitement about this breakthrough, noting the limited number of successful births from deceased donor wombs in Europe. “This trial aims to establish whether this procedure could become a standard treatment for the growing number of women of child-bearing age who lack a viable womb,” she explained.
The significance of this medical advancement cannot be overstated. Over 100 womb transplant operations have been performed globally, resulting in more than 70 successful births. In the UK, organ donation policies facilitate such life-changing procedures, with the assumption of consent for organ donation unless individuals opt out.
Why it Matters
The birth of Hugo represents not only a personal triumph for Grace Bell and Steve Powell but also a groundbreaking moment in the field of reproductive medicine. It opens new avenues of hope for women diagnosed with conditions that prevent them from carrying children. This case underscores the profound impact of organ donation, illustrating how acts of generosity can change lives. As medical research progresses, the future may hold even more possibilities for women longing to experience motherhood. The legacy of the donor, whose family has expressed immense pride in their daughter’s gift of life, continues to inspire hope for countless others.
