A groundbreaking moment in medical history unfolded recently as Britain welcomed its first baby born through a womb transplant, and one of the obstetricians involved has described the experience as profoundly joyful.
Bryony Jones, part of the dedicated team that facilitated the delivery, spoke exclusively to GB News about the momentous occasion. The recipient of the transplant, 36-year-old Grace Davidson, received her sister Amy Purdie’s womb in 2023 and subsequently gave birth to baby Amy Isabel with assistance from a group of volunteer surgeons coordinated by the charity Womb Transplant UK.
Jones recounted the emotional atmosphere during the birth, stating that the team worked diligently to manage their feelings as the new life arrived. “This was truly an honour and a privilege to be part of this amazing team that have made this amazing pregnancy and brought this lovely baby Amy into the world,” she shared. “There’s a whole team behind me ensuring that both mum and baby were safe and monitored throughout the pregnancy, but yes, it was joyous. It’s an incredible opportunity, it was deeply rewarding and an absolute joy to be part of the team.”
The obstetrician acknowledged that while complex pregnancies are not uncommon, this marked her first experience caring for a patient with a transplanted womb.
- “There are lots of women who have complicated pregnancies, so clearly as doctors, many obstetricians have experience in looking after complexity. This is the first time we’ve looked after a woman who’s had a transplant, but a lot of the same principles apply.”
The successful birth has been widely praised, with former Tory MP commending Womb Transplant UK for providing “a real ray of hope.” Jones emphasized the years of dedication and effort from the charity that made this possible. “The day was special, and it felt special because it was the accumulation of years of work from the Womb Transplant UK team, and I was incredibly honoured to be part of that team.” She added, with a hint of emotion, “I got a little bit of a watery eye looking at the baby being held by the mummy afterwards.”
Addressing potential concerns about the allocation of resources, Jones clarified that the entire procedure – including the transplant and subsequent cesarean section – was entirely charity-funded. The team involved were all volunteers donating their time, ensuring no disruption to existing NHS services. “Just to reassure your viewers, the transplant itself was charity funded, and doctors like myself gave up our free time to care – and so it wasn’t taking away any care from somebody else,” she explained.
Looking ahead, Jones expressed optimism for baby Amy Isabel’s future.
“There have been other firsts, for example the first IVF baby, and so I would imagine that she will have a lovely, fulfilling life with great parents, and I wish only the very best.”
When asked if she’d be willing to participate in another womb transplant delivery, Jones responded without hesitation: “Absolutely.”
