UK Woman Gives Birth After Uterus Transplant from Deceased Donor

Alanbatnews -

A woman in the UK has given birth after receiving a uterus transplant from a deceased donor, marking a significant medical milestone. This is believed to be the first such successful birth in the United Kingdom.

Grace Bell, in her early thirties, delivered a baby boy at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in London. The procedure involved a seven-hour transplant surgery, followed by hormone treatments and IVF.

The family of the deceased donor expressed immense pride in their daughter's legacy. They stated that she had given other families the precious gifts of time, hope, healing, and now, life. They also urged others to consider donation so that more people in need can have a chance at life, as their daughter selflessly wished.

Isabel Quiroga, a transplant surgeon at the Oxford Transplant Centre, part of the National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, hailed the birth as a major achievement. She said that it offers hope to women without a uterus who wish to start a family, providing them with the option of carrying and delivering a child, in addition to adoption or surrogacy.

The extraordinary uterus transplant was funded by the Womb Transplant UK charity, founded and led by gynecological surgeon Richard Smith. The surgical team was led by transplant surgeon Isabel Quiroga.

The birth represents a major advancement in treating women with conditions that prevent natural pregnancies, such as Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, which Bell has. It also opens new avenues for advancements in reproductive organ transplantation.

A global study in 2024 found that success rates for uterus transplants from deceased donors are similar to those from living donors. Among 24 recipients who underwent uterus transplants from deceased donors, the live birth rate was approximately 66 percent.

All of these patients had MRKH, a developmental disorder affecting the vagina and uterus.

The first successful uterus transplant in the world took place in 2012. In April 2025, the first woman in the UK gave birth after receiving a uterus from her sister. Eight months later, Bell gave birth, this time from a deceased donor.

Medical professionals and supporters of the procedure noted that this breakthrough could offer new hope to thousands of women who previously had no chance of carrying a child. They explained that the technique enables pregnancy and childbirth beyond traditional options like adoption or surrogacy.