In a heartwarming medical first for the UK, Grace Davidson has given birth to a healthy baby girl – after receiving a womb transplant from her own sister. Grace, 36, who was born without a womb, welcomed baby Amy Isabel on 27 February in what she and her husband Angus call “the greatest gift we could ever have asked for.”
After years of waiting, setbacks, and heartbreak, Grace gave birth via caesarean at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London. Twenty medical staff were on hand just in case, but baby Amy arrived safely, weighing just over 4.5lbs and needing no special care. “It was without any doubt, the best day of our lives,” Grace told the Daily Mail. “I had longed to be a mum for so long.”
The name Amy was chosen in honour of her older sister Amy Purdie, 42, who underwent eight hours of surgery last year to donate her womb. The baby’s middle name, Isabel, is a tribute to Miss Isabel Quiroga, the consultant surgeon who co-led the 17-hour transplant. She was moved to tears in the delivery room when told.
Grace was diagnosed with MRKH – a rare condition meaning she was born without a womb – at 19. After being accepted onto the transplant programme in 2015, she endured years of waiting due to regulations, delays, and the pandemic. An earlier plan to receive a womb from her mother had to be scrapped after last-minute checks showed it wasn’t suitable.
Reports suggest Grace discovered Eamonn had been in contact with another woman, which led to the breakdown. But instead of dwelling on what could have been, she’s focused on making memories with her newborn and appreciating the love around her.
Husband Angus said, “It was such a wonderful moment… the most incredible, special day.” Grace admits she was slightly overwhelmed when the baby was placed in her arms. “I hadn’t allowed myself to think about what that moment might feel like, but it was incredible,” she said.
The couple hopes to have one more child before Grace’s transplanted womb is removed within five years so she can stop taking immunosuppressants.
Professor Richard Smith, who led the surgery, said the pregnancy was “unbelievably normal,” despite the high stakes. He’s spent 26 years pushing for this possibility and says womb transplants could one day be offered through the NHS. For now, Grace’s story is bringing hope to thousands of women who’ve longed for motherhood but had no path forward – until now.
