In a groundbreaking medical achievement, Grace Davidson, 36, has become the first woman in the United Kingdom to give birth after receiving a womb transplant. Her daughter, Amy Isabel, was delivered via a planned caesarean section on 27 February at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London.
Davidson was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare condition affecting approximately one in every 5,000 women, characterized by the underdevelopment or absence of the uterus. Despite this, her ovaries remained functional, allowing for the possibility of conception through fertility treatments.
In 2023, Davidson underwent an eight-hour surgical procedure to receive a womb donated by her 42-year-old sister, Amy Purdie, who has two children of her own. Following the transplant, Davidson and her husband, Angus, underwent fertility treatments, resulting in the creation of seven embryos that were frozen for future use. Several months post-transplant, one of these embryos was implanted, leading to a successful pregnancy.
Reflecting on the birth of her daughter, Davidson expressed profound gratitude. “It was just hard to believe she was real. I knew she was ours, but it’s just hard to believe.”
Her husband, Angus, described the moment as overwhelmingly emotional. “The room was just so full of love and joy and all these people that had a vested interest in Amy for incredible medical and science reasons.”
Purdie, the womb donor, expressed immense joy in witnessing her sister’s transition into motherhood. “Watching her and Angus become parents has been an absolute joy and worth every moment.”
This medical milestone offers new hope to women who are unable to conceive due to uterine factor infertility. Currently, three additional womb transplants have been performed in the UK using deceased donors, with the recipients hopeful for future pregnancies.
The charity Womb Transplant UK has approval for multiple transplants and aims to secure NHS funding to expand the program.
Professor Richard Smith, clinical lead at Womb Transplant UK and consultant gynaecological surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, has dedicated 25 years to researching womb transplantation. He remarked on the significance of this achievement.
“I feel great joy actually, unbelievable – 25 years down the line from starting this research, we finally have a baby, little Amy Isabel. Astonishing, really astonishing.”
To date, over 100 womb transplants have been conducted worldwide, resulting in at least 50 births. The first successful birth following a womb transplant occurred in Sweden in 2014.
Davidson’s successful pregnancy and delivery mark a significant advancement in reproductive medicine, providing renewed hope for many women facing similar fertility challenges
