In a remarkable medical milestone, a baby boy named Hugo has become the first child in the UK to be born from a womb transplanted from a deceased donor. His mother, Grace Bell, who was born without a viable womb due to a rare condition known as MRKH syndrome, describes the experience as “simply a miracle.” The birth, which took place at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London, marks a significant advancement in reproductive medicine and offers hope to many women facing similar challenges.
A Journey of Hope and Resilience
Grace Bell, in her thirties, and her partner Steve Powell from Kent, have expressed profound gratitude for the “kindness and selflessness” of the donor and her family, who made this life-changing transplant possible. Hugo was born just before Christmas 2025, weighing nearly 7lbs, and the couple is overwhelmed with joy. Bell, who has lived with MRKH syndrome—affecting approximately one in every 5,000 women in the UK—was informed at the age of 16 that she would be unable to carry her own child.
Faced with limited options, the couple initially contemplated surrogacy. However, when Grace received the unexpected news of a suitable womb donation, she was filled with a mix of shock and excitement. “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,” Bell reflected. “A part of her will live on forever.”
The Groundbreaking Procedure
Hugo’s arrival was made possible through a complex medical procedure that began with a ten-hour womb transplant surgery at The Churchill Hospital in Oxford in June 2024. Following the transplant, Grace underwent in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment at The Lister Fertility Clinic in London, culminating in the successful embryo transfer that led to her pregnancy.
Upon Hugo’s birth, Bell described the moment as surreal: “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.”
This birth is not just a personal triumph; it signifies a substantial advancement in a clinical research trial involving ten womb transplants, with Hugo being the first baby born from a deceased donor’s womb in the UK. Prior to this, baby Amy was the first child born from a living womb donation in early 2025, a procedure that demonstrated the potential for family members to help each other in this way.
A Breakthrough for Women
The medical team, led by consultant gynaecologist Professor Richard Smith, has dedicated years to researching womb transplantation. He highlighted the collaborative effort of many specialists involved in the procedure and the implications it holds for women diagnosed with similar reproductive challenges. “This birth offers hope to girls and women who have been told they cannot have children,” Smith stated.
The transplant process is distinct from other organ donations, such as kidneys or hearts. In the UK, womb donation is only permissible through special requests to families who have consented to donate their loved ones’ organs. It is noteworthy that the baby born from a deceased donor’s womb holds no genetic link to the donor.
Grace and Steve have expressed the possibility of expanding their family in the future. If they choose to have another child, surgeons will remove the transplanted womb afterward to alleviate the need for lifelong medication that prevents the body from rejecting the transplanted organ.
Why it Matters
The birth of Hugo represents a profound leap forward in the field of reproductive medicine, illuminating new possibilities for women who have long faced the heartbreak of infertility due to the absence of a viable womb. This landmark achievement not only celebrates medical innovation but also fosters hope for countless individuals seeking to build families against the odds. As the medical community continues to explore womb transplantation, the journey of Grace and Steve serves as a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of organ donation and the enduring legacy of generosity.
