Artificial womb
Device enabling fetal growth outside the body.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
An artificial womb, also known as an artificial uterus or exowomb, is a device that supports extracorporeal pregnancy—growing a fetus outside the body of the organism that would typically carry it. It functions like a highly advanced neonatal incubator, potentially allowing a fetus to be transferred from a natural uterus to an artificial one, pushing the threshold of viability earlier in pregnancy. This technology could also initiate fetal development from the start and make early-stage fetal surgery a viable option, rather than delaying procedures until full term.
Beyond human medicine, an artificial uterus could aid wildlife conservation and de-extinction by removing the need for surrogate animals and boosting numbers for critically endangered species. Some recently extinct species, too distinct from their closest living relatives, could only be conceived through this method.
The broader concept of extracorporeal pregnancy includes several distinct ideas. Exo-gestation, or whole pregnancy, is limited by a 14-day rule that prevents human embryos from being kept in artificial wombs beyond that point, a widely accepted ethical guideline in many countries. In 2021, the International Society for Stem Cell Research relaxed this historical rule, allowing researchers to seek approval for longer studies, though human embryo models remain banned from implantation into a uterus. In 2016, two studies reported human embryos developing for thirteen days in an ecto-uterine environment.
An artificially grown placenta is another concept, with potential to be created from human endometrial cells. In 2002, tissue samples from cultured endometrial cells were successfully grown, shaped into a natural uterus form, and implanted with human embryos that correctly attached and began developing. However, experiments stopped after six days to comply with U.S. IVF legislation. A human placenta could theoretically be transplanted into an artificial uterus, but nutrient passage across this structure remains an unresolved challenge.
As a replacement organ, an artificial uterus could assist couples in fetal development and might include components with equivalent functions. Methods have been considered to connect an artificial placenta and other inner parts directly to external circulation. A woman could still supply nutrients and dispose of waste if the artifici
- field
- Biomedical engineering, reproductive technology
- known_for
- Extracorporeal pregnancy, ectogenesis, artificial placenta
- key_concepts
- Exo-gestation, artificial placenta, amniotic tank, ECMO
- first_termed
- Ectogenesis by JBS Haldane in 1923
- notable_patent
- Emanuel M. Greenberg filed a patent on 22 July 1954, granted 15 November 1955
Lore & Background
The concept of an artificial womb was first termed ectogenesis by British-Indian pioneer JBS Haldane in 1923. In 1954, Emanuel M. Greenberg filed a patent for an artificial womb design that included a tank for amniotic fluid, a machine connecting to the umbilical cord, blood pumps, an artificial kidney, and a water heater; the patent was granted in 1955. In 1996, Juntendo University in Tokyo developed the extra-uterine fetal incubation (EUFI) system, led by Yoshinori Kuwabara, which kept goat fetuses alive in artificial amniotic fluid for three weeks, though the system had problems and was not ready for human testing. In 2017, researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia developed an extra-uterine system using fetal lambs placed in a plastic bag with artificial amniotic fluid, featuring a pumpless arteriovenous circuit driven by the fetal heart.
Reader's Guide
The artificial womb represents a significant advancement in reproductive and neonatal technology, with potential applications ranging from assisting couples in fetal development to wildlife conservation and de-extinction. It could eliminate the need for surrogate animals for critically endangered species, such as the sand tiger shark, and enable conception of recently extinct species too distinct from living relatives. However, the technology faces substantial challenges: artificial nutrition via total parenteral nutrition has a 5-year survival of about 20% in infants; ECMO carries high risk of intraventricular hemorrhage before 32 weeks gestational age; and hormonal stability issues remain unresolved. Ethical and legal constraints also apply, including a 14-day rule for human embryo culture, codified in twelve countries, though the International Society for Stem Cell Research relaxed this rule in 2021 to allow longer studies. The broader concept of extracorporeal pregnancy includes exo-gestation, artificially grown placenta, and artificial uterus as a replacement organ, with potential for maternal immune protection and nutrient supply if connected to the woman.
Did You Know?
- The term 'ectogenesis' was first used by JBS Haldane in 1923.
- Emanuel M. Greenberg filed a patent for an artificial womb design on 22 July 1954, which was granted on 15 November 1955.
- In 1996, Juntendo University kept goat fetuses alive in an artificial womb system for three weeks.
- In 2017, researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia used fetal lambs in a plastic bag with artificial amniotic fluid and a pumpless arteriovenous circuit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an artificial womb and what does it do?
An artificial womb is a biomedical device that allows a fetus to develop entirely outside a mother's body, a process called ectogenesis. It essentially acts as a highly advanced incubator that can sustain fetal growth from the earliest stages of development.
Who first proposed the idea behind the artificial womb?
The concept was first named by J.B.S. Haldane, who coined the term 'ectogenesis' back in 1923. His early theoretical work laid the groundwork for what later became a serious area of reproductive engineering research.
What are the main components that make an artificial womb function?
The system relies on an artificial placenta to handle gas and nutrient exchange, an amniotic tank to surround the developing fetus in fluid, and ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) technology to keep blood oxygenated outside the body.
What was the first notable patent filed for an artificial womb?
Emanuel M. Greenberg submitted a patent application on 22 July 1954, which was officially granted on 15 November 1955. This early filing represents one of the first formal attempts to patent a device for extracorporeal fetal support.
Why do fans and researchers consider the artificial womb a breakthrough invention?
It pushes the threshold of fetal viability weeks earlier than natural pregnancy, meaning a fetus could be rescued far sooner in gestation. It also opens the door to performing delicate fetal surgeries at early stages rather than waiting until full term, fundamentally changing what is possible in prenatal medicine.
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