By: Puli
February 24, LNW (Colombo): A remarkable moment linking medical science and motherhood has captured global attention – baby Hugo Bell was born using a womb transplanted from a deceased donor, marking a historic first in the United Kingdom. The birth is being celebrated as both a scientific breakthrough and a deeply emotional triumph, offering fresh hope to women worldwide who cannot become pregnant due to uterine conditions.
His mother, Grace Bell, now in her 30s, was born without a functional womb. She describes her 10-week-old son Hugo as a miracle. Grace and her partner, Steve Powell, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the donor and her family for their kindness and selflessness, while also thanking the medical teams in Oxford and London whose expertise made the birth possible.
Surgeons involved in the case called the delivery a “landmark moment,” saying it could bring new hope to many women with similar diagnoses. Hugo was born shortly before Christmas 2025 at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in West London, weighing nearly 7 pounds.
Grace was born without a uterus and never experienced menstruation, although her ovaries functioned normally. Her condition is known as Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH), which affects about one in every 5,000 women in the UK. At the age of 16, she was told she would likely never be able to carry her own child, leaving uterus transplantation or surrogacy as the only possible paths to parenthood.
Grace recalled feeling shocked yet overwhelmingly excited when she received the phone call informing her that a donor uterus was available and that a transplant could go ahead. That moment ultimately led to Hugo’s birth – a journey filled with resilience, medical innovation, and hope.
Beyond the headlines, Hugo’s story carries a powerful message: advances in medicine, combined with courage and compassion, can open doors once thought permanently closed. For many families, this extraordinary birth is proof that even the most unlikely dreams can one day become reality.