UK’s First Birth Following Womb Transplant Marks a Groundbreaking Medical Milestone

In a landmark moment for reproductive medicine, surgeons are celebrating an extraordinary achievement as a woman in the United Kingdom has given birth following a successful womb transplant—the first such case in the country.

Grace Davidson, 36, who was diagnosed as a teenager with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome—a rare congenital condition resulting in the absence of a uterus—described the arrival of her daughter as “the greatest gift we could ever have asked for.”

Davidson and her husband, Angus, 37, welcomed their daughter, Amy Isabel, via planned caesarean section on 27 February at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London. The newborn’s name honours both Davidson’s sister, Amy Purdie—who selflessly donated her uterus during an eight-hour procedure in 2023—and Isabel Quiroga, the transplant surgeon who played a pivotal role in refining the complex surgical technique.

Reflecting on the life-changing moment, Davidson said she was overwhelmed when she first held her daughter: “It was hard to believe she was real. I knew she was ours, but the reality of it all didn’t truly sink in until she arrived.”

This historic birth offers new hope to women born without a womb or those whose uterine function has been compromised. The UK has since carried out three additional womb transplants using deceased donors, with medical professionals optimistic that these procedures will also lead to successful pregnancies.

Currently, approximately ten more women in the UK are undergoing evaluation for the £25,000 transplant, with hundreds more expressing interest in the programme led by the charity Womb Transplant UK. The initiative, which has received ethical approval for up to 15 transplants (ten from deceased donors and five from living ones), is currently privately funded, though advocates hope for future NHS support.

The successful delivery of Amy Isabel is the culmination of 25 years of pioneering research spearheaded by Professor Richard Smith, clinical lead at Womb Transplant UK and consultant gynaecological surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Smith, who was present in the operating theatre, described the moment as “astonishing.”

“I feel immense joy—after 25 years of research and determination, we have our first UK baby born from a womb transplant,” he said. “It’s an emotional journey for all of us. There have been many tears along the way.”

Isabel Quiroga, consultant transplant surgeon at the Oxford Transplant Centre, echoed these sentiments: “It’s been a privilege to be part of this incredible story. I’m overwhelmed with joy for Grace and Angus. They are a remarkable couple.”

Davidson, an NHS dietitian based in north London, retained her ovaries despite her diagnosis of MRKH, allowing her to undergo fertility treatment prior to the transplant. The couple created seven embryos via IVF, which were frozen in anticipation of a successful transplant. One embryo was later transferred following her recovery from the uterine transplant, resulting in her pregnancy.

Purdie, 42, a mother of two, described witnessing her sister’s journey to motherhood as “an absolute joy” and said donating her womb had been “worth every moment.”

Angus Davidson described the birth of his daughter as a profoundly emotional experience. “The room was full of people who had supported us throughout this journey—doctors, surgeons, scientists. But in that moment, they were all united by love and joy. It was overwhelming. We had been emotionally guarded for years, and it all came pouring out—ugly crying and all!”

Throughout her pregnancy, Grace was administered immunosuppressants to ensure her body did not reject the donor womb. She has since expressed her desire to expand their family further.

Globally, more than 100 womb transplants have been performed, resulting in at least 50 live births. The first successful birth took place in Sweden in 2014, with a 36-year-old mother describing her newborn, Vincent, as “perfect.”

The success of this UK case marks a transformative step forward in reproductive medicine, offering renewed hope to women facing infertility due to uterine factor conditions, and paving the way for wider access and continued innovation in the years to come.