Womb transplant: 'Miracle' baby born after UK's first deceased-donor procedure

A baby named Hugo was born after the UK's first womb transplant using a deceased donor, and the operation took place as part of a clinical trial led by transplant surgeons to evaluate the procedure.

Doctors reported the birth of a baby after the UK's first womb transplant using a deceased donor. The infant, named Hugo, was delivered following surgery performed as part of a clinical trial. Transplant surgeon and joint team leader Isabel Quiroga described the result as a breakthrough for organ transplantation in the UK. The trial is seeking to discover whether the procedure could become an approved and regular treatment for some women without a viable womb. Key facts: - The baby, named Hugo, was born after a womb transplant from a deceased donor. - The operation was carried out as part of a clinical trial and was described by surgeon Isabel Quiroga as significant for UK transplantation. - A baby born following a womb transplant from a deceased donor does not have any genetic links with the donor. - More than 100 womb transplant operations have been performed worldwide, and more than 70 healthy babies have been born as a result. - Donating a womb requires a special request to potential donors' families; in the UK, organ donation is presumed unless a person has opted out. - The donor's parents, who wish to remain anonymous, said they felt proud that their daughter also donated five other organs that were transplanted into four people. Summary: The medical team presents the birth as a milestone in the UK's organ transplantation programme and as an example of outcomes the trial is examining. The clinical trial will continue to evaluate the procedure's safety and outcomes and to determine whether it could become an approved treatment.