A baby girl born in London marks the UK’s first successful womb transplant birth, after her mother received a uterus from her sister. The breakthrough offers new hope for women facing infertility due to uterine conditions like MRKH syndrome.
A baby girl has made UK medical history by becoming the first child born from a womb transplant in the country. Grace Davidson, 36, from north London, gave birth to her daughter Amy Isabel after receiving a womb from her sister, Amy Purdie, in the UK’s first womb transplant surgery in 2023. Amy Isabel was born via planned Caesarean section on February 27 at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London. The moment has been hailed as a major breakthrough for women with uterine infertility, especially those born without a womb or whose uterus does not function.
Emotional milestone for family and medical team
Davidson, an NHS dietitian, and her husband, Angus, 37, expressed overwhelming joy at the birth of their daughter, who was named after both her aunt and one of the surgeons who helped pioneer the technique, Isabel Quiroga.
“It was just hard to believe she was real,” said Davidson. “We’ve been given the greatest gift we could ever have asked for.”
Davidson was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare condition affecting 1 in 5,000 women, in which the womb is underdeveloped or absent. However, her ovaries were functional, making pregnancy through IVF possible once a donor womb was in place.
Sister’s selfless gift
Amy Purdie, 42, a mother of two and former primary school teacher, donated her womb to her younger sister in February 2023. Several months later, an embryo created through IVF was successfully implanted, leading to Davidson’s pregnancy.
“There was no question about it,” Purdie said. “It was very natural. Watching Grace and Angus become parents has been an absolute joy.”
A journey of hope and science
The transplant, led by Professor Richard Smith of Womb Transplant UK and consultant Isabel Quiroga, was the first of its kind in the UK. The birth brought tears to the eyes of both surgeons present in the delivery room.
“I feel great joy – unbelievable,” said Prof Smith. “Twenty-five years down the line from starting this research, we finally have a baby. Astonishing.”
Miss Quiroga added, “It was overwhelming. What a wonderful couple. I couldn’t be happier for them.”
Hope for the future
Health Secretary Wes Streeting called the event a “medical breakthrough” and said womb transplants may be made available through the NHS in the future. NHS England’s Chief Midwifery Officer Kate Brintworth also praised the team’s success, calling baby Amy a “miracle.”
Davidson said she and her husband are hopeful to grow their family further and that their journey may inspire others in similar situations. “Knowing this is now an option for other women is huge,” she said.
Womb Transplant UK has completed four womb transplants to date and is fundraising to support more procedures, giving hope to many aspiring parents across the UK.
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