A baby boy, named Hugo, has been born in the UK using a womb transplanted from a deceased donor, according to a report by the BBC.
Hugo's mother, Grace Bell, who was born without a viable womb, gave birth to the 7lbs baby at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in west London just before Christmas 2025.
Bell and her partner Steve Powell expressed gratitude to the donor and her family, as well as the medical teams in Oxford and London who supported their journey.
Medical Breakthrough
The surgeons involved in the procedure described the birth as a "ground-breaking moment" that could give hope to many more women with a similar diagnosis.
Consultant gynaecologist Prof Richard Smith, from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said a "huge team of people" had been involved in the process, from the transplant operation to the embryo transfer and the delivery itself.
Womb Transplantation
Bell's womb transplant operation took place at The Churchill Hospital in Oxford in June 2024, before the couple received IVF treatment and embryo transfer at The Lister Fertility Clinic in London.
Transplant surgeon and joint team leader Isabel Quiroga said she was "delighted" by Hugo's birth and called it a breakthrough for organ transplantation in the UK.
Donation and Legacy
The parents of the donor, who wish to remain anonymous, said they felt "tremendous pride" at the legacy left by their daughter, who donated five other organs that were transplanted into four people.
Bell said she thinks of her donor and her family every day and prays they find some peace in knowing their daughter gave her the biggest gift: the gift of life.
