A man who was born a woman but underwent surgery and hormone treatment to change gender has made medical history by having a baby.

Thomas Beatie gave birth to a girl, believed to have been named Tracy, at a maternity unit in Oregon on June 29.

The 34-year-old, who kept female reproductive organs when he legally became a man ten years ago, confirmed the birth in an interview with a US magazine.

The baby was conceived through artificial insemination using donor sperm and Beatie's own eggs.

"The only thing different about me is that I can't breast-feed my baby. But a lot of mothers don't," he told the magazine.

He said that contrary to published reports, the baby was not delivered by Caesarean section, but no other details about the birth were given.

Mr Beatie told The Oprah Winfrey Show in April he began his sexual transformation about ten years ago when he began taking testosterone treatment and had surgery to remove mammary glands and flatten his chest.

Beatie's wife of five years, Nancy, 46, was unable to conceive because of a prior hysterectomy.

The couple, who operate a T-shirt printing business in Bend, Oregon, are legally married and he is recognised under Oregon state law as a man.

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