In a remarkable medical breakthrough, a baby boy named Hugo has become the first child in the UK to be born following a womb transplant from a deceased donor. Grace Bell, a 30-something mother from Kent, who was born without a viable womb, describes her son as “simply a miracle.” This pioneering achievement offers new hope to many women facing similar reproductive challenges.
A Journey of Hope
Grace and her partner, Steve Powell, expressed their heartfelt gratitude towards the donor and her family, acknowledging the “incredible gift” that has allowed them to experience the joys of parenthood. The couple thanked the dedicated medical teams from Oxford and London who played crucial roles in their journey, culminating in Hugo’s birth at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in West London just before Christmas 2025. Weighing nearly 7lbs at birth, Hugo has already become a symbol of hope and resilience for many.
Grace was diagnosed with MRKH syndrome, a condition affecting approximately 5,000 women in the UK, which means she was born without a womb and does not menstruate but has functioning ovaries. At the age of 16, she learned she would be unable to carry her own child, leaving her and Steve with limited options: either a womb transplant or surrogacy. The life-changing phone call notifying Grace of a suitable donated womb left her in “complete shock” and filled with excitement, tempered by the awareness of the profound loss experienced by the donor’s 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 remarked. “A part of her will live on forever.”
The Groundbreaking Procedure
The transplant procedure, which lasted ten hours, was performed at The Churchill Hospital in Oxford in June 2024. Following the surgery, Grace underwent IVF treatment, leading to the successful embryo transfer at The Lister Fertility Clinic in London. Upon holding her son for the first time, Grace described the experience as surreal, saying, “It felt like I needed to wake up from a dream. It was just incredible.”
Hugo’s birth represents a significant advancement in reproductive medicine, particularly as part of a clinical research trial involving womb transplants in the UK. This was the first successful birth resulting from a womb transplanted from a deceased donor, although prior to this, baby Amy was born in early 2025 following the UK’s first living womb donation.
A Future of Possibilities
The medical team behind Hugo’s birth has long been dedicated to advancing womb transplantation. Consultant gynaecologist Professor Richard Smith, who has been involved in research on womb transplants for over 25 years, praised the collaborative efforts that led to this achievement. He highlighted the extensive work of a large medical team throughout the transplant operation, embryo transfer, and delivery.
In recognition of their gratitude, Grace and Steve chose to give their son the middle name Richard, in honour of Professor Smith, who also founded Womb Transplant UK. The couple is contemplating the possibility of expanding their family, after which surgeons will remove the transplanted womb to spare Grace from a lifetime of immunosuppressive medication.
Transplant surgeon and joint team leader Isabel Quiroga expressed her delight at the birth, calling it a “breakthrough for organ transplantation in the UK.” She noted that very few babies have been born in Europe from wombs donated by deceased individuals, underscoring the significance of this trial.
A Legacy of Life
The family of the anonymous donor expressed their “tremendous pride” in the legacy left by their daughter, who not only facilitated Hugo’s birth but also contributed to the lives of four other individuals through her organ donations. “Through organ donation, she has given other families the precious gift of time, hope, healing, and now life,” they stated.
In the UK, organ donation operates under an opt-out system, meaning individuals are presumed to consent to organ donation upon death unless they have explicitly chosen to decline. This progressive approach enhances the potential for life-saving transplants and inspires hope for those in need.
Why it Matters
Hugo’s birth is not merely a personal triumph for Grace and Steve; it signifies a monumental leap forward in medical science that could transform the lives of countless women facing infertility due to the absence of a womb. As research continues and more successful cases emerge, this groundbreaking procedure may pave the way for a future where women who previously believed they could not carry children can experience the joy of motherhood. This story serves as a poignant reminder of the profound impact of organ donation and the possibilities it holds for families across the nation.
