A baby boy has become the first child in the United Kingdom to be born following a womb transplant from a deceased donor. Hugo was delivered by caesarean section at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in London in December 2025. His mother, Grace Bell, was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome, a rare condition that affects around one in 5,000 women. The disorder leads to the underdevelopment or absence of the uterus and vagina, although patients have normal ovaries.
Bell was told at the age of 16 that she would not be able to carry her own child.
Her transplant took place at Churchill Hospital in June 2024. The delicate operation lasted just under seven hours. She later underwent IVF treatment and embryo transfer at the Lister Fertility Clinic.
The procedure was part of a research programme led by the charity Womb Transplant UK, which plans to carry out 10 womb transplants from deceased donors. Three transplants have been completed so far, but Hugo is the first baby born as a result.
Two previous births following deceased donor womb transplants have been reported elsewhere in Europe, with around 25 to 30 cases worldwide.
Isabel Quiroga, consultant transplant and endocrine surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals, who led the transplant surgery, said the procedure is complex and involves connecting very small blood vessels. She explained that any pregnancy after such a transplant is considered high risk and requires close monitoring. The mother must take immune suppressing medication, and delivery is carried out by caesarean section.
The transplant programme is funded by charity support, with clinical teams donating their time. This type of organ donation is not included under the NHS deemed consent system and requires specific family approval.
Doctors say the birth marks a major medical milestone and offers new hope to women without a womb, providing an additional option alongside adoption or surrogacy.
