London, Feb 13: A British man, thought to be in his 30s, was able to give birth to a child after taking female hormones to reverse the effects of his female-to-male sex change treatment.

On Saturday night, medical ethics experts called for a full inquiry into the issues surrounding transgender births, saying that the interests of the child should not be risked to "fulfill the rights of an adult".

Although he had legally changed his gender to male, the UK man was able to give birth last year because his womb was not removed during the original sex change procedure.

It is possible for transgender men who were born women, and who still have functioning ovaries and a uterus, to become pregnant while still identifying and living as men.

Joanna Darrell, from the Beaumont Society, a support group for the transgender community, said that the man had approached the society asking for advice about having a baby.

"We had a general inquiry to the Beaumont Society," the Telegraph quoted her as telling The Sunday Times.

"He wanted to know what surgery he could have before it would be impossible to carry a baby. He also asked about the possible health implications of retaining his womb.

"He got back in touch about six months ago to thank the society for its help and to say he had had the baby," she revealed.

Darrell said that the identity of father-son duo was being kept secret.

"I'm not able to pass on any of his personal details out of respect to his and his son's privacy," she said.

The boy was likely to have been delivered by caesarean section although it is possible the man may have retained the ability to give birth naturally.

Darrell said she believed he was the first British man to have given birth.

"As far as we know there is only him, one man in America and one in Spain who have done this," she said.

The news comes four years after an American transsexual, Thomas Beatie, 38, of Arizona, sparked controversy by announcing he was pregnant and subsequently gave birth to a baby girl. He later went on to have two more children. (ANI)