After the first UK womb transplant was successfully carried out in August, one woman from Berkhamsted hopes that she might be a future beneficiary of this procedure.
Danielle Maydom, who lives in Berkhamsted and works as a hairdresser, was born without a womb.
At the age of 16, Danielle visited her GP after becoming concerned that her periods hadn’t started. After a number of tests, she was diagnosed with the rare Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.
Danielle was distraught: “All I can remember is sitting with my mum and the doctor and being told I had an absent uterus and then running out of the room. To me, the future was now colourless.
“I felt like I was not only losing my dream of becoming a mother, but I felt so guilty because I wouldn’t be able to give my parents a grandchild.”
Danielle’s father, Stephen Maydom, was a well-known character from Berkhamsted who passed away when she was 10 years old.
She said: “I was his only child. The thought of never being able to carry on his bloodline scares me.”
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Danielle’s diagnosis, which galvanised her into beginning advocacy for MRKH awareness and infertility.
She said: “I would love to create a safe space for other women in the Berkhamsted area who are going through infertility and I aim to break the taboo surrounding infertility.”
An examination has showed that Danielle has two healthy ovaries, which gives her hope of one day having a child. Her mother has also said that she would be happy to donate her uterus.
Danielle said: “My mum has always said she would do anything for me to be able to have my own baby. After hearing the news this year about the successful womb transplant, it was very exciting news.”
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