**UK Celebrates Medical Milestone: First Baby Born Following Womb Transplant from Living Donor**

UK Celebrates Medical Milestone: First Baby Born Following Womb Transplant from Living Donor

**LONDON –** In a landmark achievement for British medicine and a profound moment for one family, the United Kingdom has welcomed its first baby born following a successful womb transplant operation. The arrival of baby Amy Isabelle marks a significant advancement in reproductive medicine within the country, offering new hope to women affected by uterine factor infertility (UFI).

Amy Isabelle was safely delivered via Caesarean section on February 27, 2025, at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in London. Both the infant and her mother, 36-year-old Grace Davidson, are reported to be in good health, concluding a remarkable journey that began years earlier.

Grace Davidson was born

withMayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare congenital condition affecting approximately one in 5,000 women, characterised by the underdevelopment or complete absence of the uterus and upper vagina, despite having functioning ovaries. This diagnosis typically means biological motherhood via gestation is impossible. However, the advent of uterine transplantation has begun to change this reality.

The complex transplant surgery took place in February 2023 at the renowned
Oxford Transplant Centre. In an extraordinary act of generosity, the donor
was Grace's own elder sister, 42-year-old Amy Bordi, who had already
completed her own family with two children. The procedure involved
meticulously removing Ms. Bordi's healthy uterus and transplanting it into
Ms. Davidson. This living donor transplant required immense coordination
between surgical teams and careful patient preparation.

Following the successful transplantation, Grace Davidson required immunosuppressive medication to prevent her body from rejecting the donor organ – a standard requirement for all transplant recipients, carrying its own set of risks and requiring careful management, especially during pregnancy.

With the transplanted womb functioning correctly

, the next step involved assisted reproductive technology. Embryos created previously using Grace's eggs and her partner's sperm via In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) were transferred into the transplanted uterus. The successful implantation led to a viable pregnancy, culminating in the birth of Amy Isabelle almost exactly two years after the transplant operation.

The baby's name, Amy Isabelle, carries deep personal significance. "Amy"
honours her aunt, the selfless womb donor, while "Isabelle" pays tribute to
Miss Isabel Quiroga, one of the leading surgeons who performed the
intricate transplant surgery alongside Professor Richard Smith, a consultant
gynaecological surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and a
driving force behind the UK's womb transplant research program.

Expressing her immense joy, Grace Davidson described her daughter as "the best gift we could have ever wished for." She also voiced her hope that this pioneering success will pave the way for uterine transplantation to become a more established option in the future, offering "an additional choice for women who wouldn't be able to carry their own children otherwise."

Professor Richard Smith, who has dedicated decades to this field of research, shared his elation: "I am absolutely thrilled. After 25 years of starting the research, we have finally achieved a baby." This birth is the culmination of extensive research, planning, and ethical considerations undertaken by Womb Transplant UK, part of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

While this is the first such birth in the UK,

uterine transplantation is not entirely new globally. The world's first successful birth following a womb transplant occurred in Sweden in 2013, also involving a living donor. Since then, it is estimated that over 100 womb transplants have been performed internationally, resulting in the birth of approximately 50 healthy babies in countries including the United States, Brazil, India, China, and across Europe. These procedures have utilised both living and deceased donors.

The UK's entry into this elite group of nations capable of performing this
complex procedure represents a significant step forward. It underscores the
potential of transplantation surgery combined with IVF to overcome
previously insurmountable infertility barriers. However, the procedure
remains complex, resource-intensive, and carries risks associated with major
surgery for both donor and recipient, alongside the long-term implications of
immunosuppression. Ethical considerations and careful patient selection
remain paramount.

The birth of Amy Isabelle is more than just a single medical success; it is a beacon of hope, a testament to sisterly love, medical innovation, and the enduring human desire to build a family. It opens a new chapter in reproductive possibilities within the UK, promising potentially life-changing opportunities for other women facing similar challenges.