First UK baby born from womb transplant offers hope to thousands of infertile women

In a pioneering British medical feat, 36-year-old Grace Davidson has given birth to the first baby in the UK born from a transplanted womb. Baby Amy, named after the aunt who donated the womb, arrived in February by caesarean section weighing just over two kilos, making medical history and fulfilling Grace’s lifelong dream of becoming a mother.

Grace was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare condition that left her without a functioning uterus but with working ovaries. After years of emotional struggle and dashed hopes—including her mother’s unsuccessful attempt to donate her womb—Grace’s younger sister Amy Purdie stepped forward. Having already completed her family, Amy became the country’s first living womb donor in a transplant carried out in 2023.

The intricate 17-hour operation, led by surgeon Isabel Quiroga at Churchill Hospital in Oxford, involved more than 30 medics and marked the first successful womb transplant in the UK. Just weeks after surgery, Grace had her first period and soon after became pregnant through IVF on the first attempt.

The result was baby Amy Isabel—named not only for the sister who gave Grace her womb, but also for the surgeon who made the transplant possible. “It was incredibly difficult to let her do that for me,” Grace said. “It’s a huge act of sisterly love.”

Holding her newborn for the first time, Grace described the experience as “overwhelming” and “surreal.” She and her husband, Angus, who live in north London, now hope to have a second child before the transplanted womb is removed. This will allow Grace to stop taking immunosuppressants, which pose long-term health risks such as increased chances of cancer.

The transplant was funded by the charity Womb Transplant UK, led by Professor Richard Smith of Imperial College London, a surgeon who has researched uterine transplants for over two decades. Smith, who led the womb retrieval team, says the birth of Amy gives new hope to 15,000 women in the UK of childbearing age who lack a functioning uterus—5,000 of whom were born without one.

Since Grace’s surgery, three additional women in the UK have received wombs from deceased donors. The team has approval to perform 15 transplants in total—five from living and 10 from deceased donors—as part of a clinical trial.

Amy Purdie said she had no regrets donating her womb. The sacrifice, she added, came with immediate emotional rewards: “It was dramatic. It was life-enhancing and life-creating—and you can’t have better than that.”

As for the couple, the bond between Grace and her sister has only deepened. “We will never be able to thank her enough,” said Angus. “Naming our daughter after her was an absolute no-brainer.”

With baby Amy now cradled in the arms of loving parents and surrounded by a team of delighted medics at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital, this historic birth has turned personal pain into public hope—and one family’s sacrifice into a medical milestone.

THE INDEPENDENT

A British woman, Grace Davidson, has become the first in the UK to give birth after receiving a womb transplant. Born without a uterus due to a rare condition called MRKH, Grace underwent a groundbreaking transplant in 2023, receiving a womb from her sister, Amy Purdie. After IVF treatment, one embryo was implanted, leading to a successful pregnancy. Baby Amy Isabel was delivered via Caesarean section on 27 February 2025 at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London. The baby is named after both her aunt and surgeon Isabel Quiroga. Grace and her husband Angus described the experience as overwhelming and joyful, marking the end of a decade-long journey to parenthood. The transplant was led by Professor Richard Smith and Miss Quiroga. This pioneering achievement offers new hope for women with uterine infertility and is hailed as a major breakthrough in reproductive medicine. The couple hope to have more children in future.

THE GUARDIAN

Grace Davidson, 36, has become the first woman in the UK to give birth after a womb transplant. Born without a uterus due to a rare condition called MRKH, she received her sister Amy Purdie’s womb in an eight-hour operation in 2023. After IVF treatment, Davidson gave birth to baby Amy Isabel via caesarean on 27 February 2025 at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London. The child is named after both her aunt and transplant surgeon Isabel Quiroga. This historic birth marks the culmination of 25 years of research led by Professor Richard Smith, who celebrated the emotional milestone. The success offers new hope for women with uterine infertility, with several more transplants already performed in the UK. Davidson, who took immunosuppressants during pregnancy, hopes to have more children. Her husband Angus described the birth as deeply emotional, while Amy Purdie called witnessing her sister become a mother “an absolute joy.”

SKY NEWS

Grace Davidson has become the first woman in the UK to give birth following a womb transplant, delivering baby Amy Isabel via planned caesarean at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital on 27 February 2025. Grace, 36, was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare condition causing the absence of a womb. She received a uterus from her sister, Amy Purdie, in the UK’s first such transplant in 2023. The baby’s name honours both her aunt and transplant surgeon Isabel Quiroga. The birth marks a major medical milestone, offering hope to women with uterine infertility. The transplant was preceded by IVF, using embryos created before the operation. Lead surgeons Richard Smith and Quiroga called the moment deeply emotional and overwhelming. Although the procedure is complex and not routine, the successful birth demonstrates the growing viability of womb transplantation. Davidson said she felt “complete” and is considering having another child in the future.