A baby boy has become the first child in the United Kingdom to be born to a woman who received a womb transplant from a deceased donor, doctors announced on Tuesday.
The baby, named Hugo Richard Norman Powell, was delivered by caesarean section in December at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London.
He weighed about 6 lb 13 oz (3.1 kg) at birth.
His mother, Grace Bell, was born with a rare condition called Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome which stunted the development of her womb, and rendered her unable to carry a baby.
After receiving the transplant in 2024, Ms. Bell underwent fertility treatment and became pregnant.
She told reporters it was “simply a miracle” and that she was “the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
Doctors said this is the first time in the UK a baby has been born using a womb from a deceased donor, and only the third such case reported in Europe.
The donor’s family also donated other organs, helping at least four other people.
The family said they hope others will consider organ donation in the future.
Lead surgeon Professor Richard Smith said the moment Hugo was born was “absolutely filled with joy” and praised the donor family for their generosity.
The transplant offers hope to women who cannot carry a child because their wombs are underdeveloped or missing, giving them another chance to experience pregnancy.
