Emma Saunders, 30, from Melling, has become a mother after her sister Sophie McAllister, 33, acted as a surrogate, giving birth to baby Myles Paul Saunders on June 9. Emma was born without a womb due to Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a condition where the uterus is underdeveloped or absent.
A Lifelong Dream Realized
Emma discovered she had no womb at age 17 after undergoing keyhole surgery. Despite having healthy ovaries and eggs, she was told she could never carry a child. She met Nathan Saunders, now 30, nine years ago and disclosed her condition early in their relationship. Nathan responded, “It is what it is, we will cross that bridge when it comes to it.”
The couple tried to live normally, buying a home and getting engaged, but the desire to become parents overshadowed everything. In 2021, they explored womb transplantation in London but decided against it. In 2023, after getting engaged in the Lake District, they began looking into surrogacy.
IVF and a Surprise Offer
In April 2024, Emma underwent IVF at The Hewitt Fertility Centre, freezing her embryos. By early 2025, they had not found a surrogate. Then, Emma’s sister Sophie, who lives in Aintree with her husband Ged and their two children, offered to carry the baby. “I can’t remember where we were when she told me, she dropped it into conversation. We were blown away,” Emma said. Sophie told her, “It’s nine months of my life, but it changes your life forever.”
The surrogacy process began in September 2025, and on June 9, baby Myles was born. Emma described him as “Myles the miracle.” She added, “There’s no words that could thank her enough for what she’s done, for what Ged’s done, their kids have done. Without her we wouldn’t have become parents. She is a real-life angel.”
Family Support
Emma also thanked her younger sister Molly and her parents Libby and Paul for their support. She looks forward to telling Myles how he came into the world: “How much he was wanted; how many people played a part in him being here.”
