The groundbreaking womb transplant from a deceased donor is the first of its kind in the country and only the third ever carried out in Europe.
A woman has become the first in the United Kingdom to give birth following a womb transplant from a deceased donor, marking another major milestone for the country’s pioneering research programme.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Grace Bell, who was born without a womb, delivered a healthy baby boy, Hugo Richard Norman Powell, by caesarean section at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in December 2025.
She is the second woman in the UK to give birth following a womb transplant, and the first following a transplant from a deceased donor. The research team believe Hugo is the third baby born in Europe after a deceased donor womb transplant.
"There are no words to say thank you enough to my donor and her family. Their kindness and selflessness to a complete stranger is the reason I have been able to fulfil my lifelong dream of being a mum," Bell said.
"I hope they know that my child will always know of their incredible gift, and the miracle that brought him into this world," she added.
How the transplant was made possible
The transplant took place as part of the UK Investigational Study into Transplantation of the Uterus (INSITU), an approved research programme funded by the charity Womb Transplant UK.
The donor's parents expressed "tremendous pride at the legacy" their daughter leaves behind. "Through organ donation, she has given other families the precious gift of time, hope, healing and now life."
Following the transplant surgery, Bell underwent IVF treatment and embryo transfer at the Lister Fertility Clinic in London before being monitored throughout her pregnancy.
Professor Richard Smith, who co-leads the UK womb transplant research team, said: "I’m so happy for Grace, Steve and their family. It was just wonderful to be there at the birth and to see baby Hugo coming into the world, after our journey with this family and the many years of research that led us to this moment."
“This was only possible thanks to the generosity of the donor family for deciding to donate, following the tragic loss of their own daughter. This decision ultimately led to the birth of a healthy baby boy. I will be forever grateful to them, as well as to every family who has supported our programme to date," he added.
‘A huge milestone’
Miss Isabel Quiroga, co-lead of the UK womb transplant research team, said: "This is a huge milestone, giving more hope to women who do not have a womb and are looking to start a family. This is the only treatment that gives them the ability to carry and give birth to their own child, offering another option alongside adoption or surrogacy."
Bell said she hopes the breakthrough will help others in future: "My hope is that one day this option to motherhood will become much more accessible, so others may have the same chance I have been given."
