A woman in Britain gave birth to a baby boy after undergoing a uterus transplant from a deceased donor, making the child the first born in the country in this way.
Hugo Powell was born in December, weighing 3.1kg, at London’s NHS Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital, via caesarean section.
Birth from a donor womb
It is noteworthy that only two similar cases have been recorded in Europe, while last year Britain witnessed the first birth of a child from a uterus transplanted from a living donor.
Hugo’s mother, Grace Bell, an IT program manager, was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare condition that causes an underdeveloped or absent uterus.
“It’s simply a miracle. I never imagined this would be possible. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life,” Bell said.
The child’s father, Steve Powell, works in the financial sector. The couple, both in their thirties, live in southern England.
Belle recalled the moment of birth and said she was holding her husband’s hand and trying to look behind the curtain before Hugo was placed in her arms. She added: “It seemed unreal, it was a long journey for us.”
Steve Powell said: “When I saw the curtain being lifted over the curtain, I was overcome with overwhelming emotions. I felt like I wanted to cry but I couldn’t.” He added: “From our first meeting until today, with Hugo in our hands, what we are experiencing is nothing less than a miracle after everything we have been through.”
How does a person become a uterus donor?
Living donors undergo intensive counseling sessions to ensure that they are not exposed to any pressure and that they fully understand the risks.
In cases of post-mortem donation, the uterus is not considered part of normal organ donation consent, so the family of the deceased is contacted to see if they would like to participate in the uterus transplant research program.
The couple decided to give Hugo the middle name Richard, in honor of Professor Richard Smith, Clinical Director of Uterine Transplantation UK, as well as the middle name Norman, after his maternal grandfather.
Professor Smith, who attended the birth, said holding the baby in his arms and learning he had been named brought tears to his eyes, adding: “It was very emotional… very emotional indeed.”
