In an extraordinary breakthrough in medical science and human resilience, a baby girl named Amy has become the first child born in the UK to a mother who had received a womb transplant. This remarkable achievement is attributed to Grace Davidson, a 36-year-old woman who was born without a functioning uterus due to a rare condition known as Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome. This syndrome renders the uterus absent or underdeveloped, but the ovaries remain functional. In 2023, Grace received a donated womb from her sister, Amy Purdie, and now, two years later, has welcomed her daughter into the world.
Grace and her husband Angus, who are originally from Scotland but currently reside in North London, expressed their overwhelming emotions upon holding baby Amy for the first time. Weighing just over two kilos (approximately four and a half pounds), the birth was described by Grace as “incredible” and “surreal,” marking a significant personal victory for the couple who had previously not allowed themselves to envision this moment. “It was quite overwhelming because we’d never really let ourselves imagine what it would be like for her to be here,” Grace reflected. The couple initially wished to maintain anonymity, but following the safe delivery of their daughter, they chose to publicly share their inspiring story.
This medical achievement is not just a personal milestone; it also signifies advancements in reproductive technology and surgery. The surgical team responsible for the womb transplant performed by a team of over 30 professionals spent around 17 hours conducting the intricate procedure in February 2023 at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford. Since Grace’s pioneering transplant, the team has successfully carried out three additional womb transplants using deceased donors, aiming to complete a total of 15 procedures as part of a clinical trial.
Grace’s journey to motherhood was fraught with emotional challenges. Initially, she had hoped her mother could be a donor; however, this proved unfeasible. The possibility of motherhood was kept alive when her sister Amy, already a mother of two, volunteered to undergo the procedure. Both sisters participated in counseling prior to the surgery, and despite being given options for surrogacy or adoption, Grace felt a deep yearning to carry her own child.
The first successful womb transplant took place in Sweden back in 2014, paving the way for a growing number of similar operations across various countries, including the US, China, and Germany. Approximately 135 womb transplants have been executed worldwide, resulting in roughly 65 births. This case offers hope to thousands of women in the UK who struggle with infertility due to uterine issues; around 15,000 women of childbearing age reportedly lack a functional uterus, including about 5,000 who were born without one.
Baby Amy was delivered via Caesarean section at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in West London. Grace and Angus plan to expand their family further by trying for another child once the medical team establishes the right timing. The womb will be removed following the birth of a second child, allowing Grace to discontinue her regimen of daily immunosuppressants, which are necessary to prevent her body from rejecting her sister’s womb. While these medications carry risks, particularly regarding cancer after prolonged use, the surgeon, Isabel Quiroga, expressed confidence that Grace’s health risks would revert to baseline levels post-surgery.
Prof Richard Smith, a leading gynaecological surgeon involved in the project and head of Womb Transplant UK, expressed optimism about the implications of baby Amy’s birth. He indicated that this success can inspire many women facing infertility and that the charity he leads financed Grace’s transplant, ensuring that all involved medical professionals participated voluntarily.
The story culminates not just in the medical triumph of baby Amy’s arrival but also in the profound bond the sisters now share. Grace expressed the emotional complexity of accepting such a generous act of love from her sister, highlighting that it is a monumental gesture that brought them even closer. She conveyed her appreciation to her sister for the “huge act of sisterly love” that made her journey to motherhood possible. As the family embraces their new life together, baby Amy stands as a symbol of hope, resilience, and the enduring bonds of family.