'Miracle' baby born to first UK womb transplant from deceased donor
BBC World
February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A groundbreaking moment in medical history was achieved with the birth of Hugo Bell, the first UK baby born from a womb transplant sourced from a deceased donor. Grace Bell, 36, who was born without a viable womb due to MRKH syndrome, gave birth to her son just before Christmas 2025 after undergoing a successful 10-hour operation at The Churchill Hospital in Oxford. This landmark procedure, part of a UK clinical trial, offers hope to women with similar conditions.
The story highlights the incredible gift from the donor and her family, which enabled Grace to carry and give birth to her own child. Bell, who was diagnosed with MRKH syndrome at 16 and initially deemed unable to conceive, chose womb transplantation over surrogacy as her only option. The transplant operation took place in June 2024, followed by IVF treatment and embryo transfer in London. Hugo’s birth, weighing nearly 7lbs, brought immense joy to his parents, Steve Powell and Grace Bell, who named their son with the donor’s name as a middle name.
This medical breakthrough is part of a UK trial involving 10 deceased donor womb transplants, with five more planned from living relatives. The procedure was described by experts as a “groundbreaking moment” in organ transplantation, with very few such births reported in Europe. Prof Richard Smith, who has been researching womb transplantation for over 25 years, emphasized the collaborative effort of medical teams and highlighted the potential for this treatment to become more widely available.
The birth of Hugo represents a significant advancement in reproductive medicine, offering hope to women unable to carry their own children due to congenital conditions. The success of the trial could pave the way for womb transplants to be approved as regular treatments, transforming lives and providing new possibilities for parenthood.
Verticals
worldpolitics
Originally published on BBC World on 2/24/2026