First baby born in Australian from ‘groundbreaking’ uterus transplant

A newborn baby boy has heralded new hope for women with birth complications following Australia’s first successful uterus transplant.

The first baby to be born in Australia under a “groundbreaking” uterus transplant research trial being run at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney has arrived.

Kirsty Bryant, 30, gave birth on Friday to a healthy baby boy after becoming the first person in the country to have undergone uterus transplant surgery in January.

Ms Bryant said the newborn boy, who she named Henry, was a “dream come true” after she suffered a major haemorrhage during the birth of her first child, Violet.

“After my hysterectomy, I desperately wanted another child and I felt like there weren’t many options,” Mr Bryant said.

“It’s been a whirlwind year and to have Henry here safely is beyond anything I thought possible.

“I’m so grateful to all the medical team who helped get us here and for being given the opportunity to be a part of this research trial.

“It’s allowed me to give birth to another baby which is something I never thought I would do again.”

Kirsty Bryant with son, Henry, after the first-ever uterus transplant. Picture: Supplied

The birth represents a major step forward for researchers Rebecca Deans and Swedish surgeon Mats Brannstrom, who performed the transplant.

Dr Deans said Henry, who was born via caesarean at a healthy 2.9kg, arrived with a “healthy cry … totally oblivious to the fact he’s entered the history books”.

“This trial is the culmination of 25 years of collaborative research and persistence on a global scale, so to be able to see a baby born here in Australia is incredible,” she said.

“This is certainly a career highlight for me and to see this medical breakthrough creating a new life is quite extraordinary. It’s been an emotional day for everybody.”

In January, Ms Bryant and her mother, 53-year-old Michelle, underwent extensive surgery that resulted in her mother’s uterus being transplanted into Ms Bryant.

Just three months later, Ms Bryant fell pregnant.

Henry was born at a healthy 2.9kg and via C-section. Picture: Supplied

The rare procedure is usually performed on women who have been born without a uterus or have had to have it surgically removed due to complications with child birth.

Unlike other types of organ transplants, uterus transplants only last for about five years. The procedure means woman can give birth, but it minimises the chance of side-effects.

Professor Brannstrom, who performed the world’s first successful uterus transplantation in Sweden that led to a live birth in 2014, returned to Australia for Henry’s birth.

“This gives hope to other women with uterine factor infertility that they can carry a child of their own without the need for other options such as adoption and surrogacy,” he said.

The Royal Women’s Hospital has approval to conduct six uterine transplant surgeries as part of the clinical trial which is expected to run for the next three years.

The hospital said that since Ms Bryant’s surgery, two more women had undergone a uterus transplant at The Royal Hospital for Women. One of the women is also now pregnant.