Artificial Womb has been tested with fetal lambs

[Pcdunn]

-- it worked up to four weeks and allowed them to develop.
Next step-- creating one for human babies.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/26/health/artificial-womb-premature-babies-lambs/index.html

That's one of those things that could be a great boon, or could be misused in scary, "Matrix"-like ways.
Still, a breakthrough.

[c.d.]

And ultimately a womb that has a window. You know, a womb with a view.

c.d.

P.S. ok that was bad.

[GUT]

And ultimately a womb that has a window. You know, a womb with a view.

c.d.

P.S. ok that was bad.

Yep, very bad.

[Svensson]

An artificial womb is just wrong on so many levels, I feel. What is the scientific use case here? Apart from "because it can be done"? Are we trying to save the Northern White Rhino here or resurrect the Sabretooth Tiger?

[Robert]

Well, I guess it's as it says, to save premature babies.

[Svensson]

Have I just been busted for not reading the link?

[Pcdunn]

Have I just been busted for not reading the link?

Hmm... or perhaps you didn't read my first post, either. They've proven the concept, now they need to scale down the womb to human infant sized and see if they can make one suitable for allowing premature babies to continue developing outside their mother's body. It is not going to happen for some time yet, of course. Maybe within a decade?

I think the downside might be if mothers want to be relieved of the "labor" of child-bearing to full term. Sort of a vanity thing? A real-life "Brave New World." Yet, the good it could bring may outweigh the rest.

[Robert]

I doubt if there would be many women who would opt to have a perfectly healthy baby surgically removed and placed in an artificial womb. Re-potting a plant can be a risky business. But hey, you never know which way they'll jump.

[Pcdunn]

I doubt if there would be many women who would opt to have a perfectly healthy baby surgically removed and placed in an artificial womb. Re-potting a plant can be a risky business. But hey, you never know which way they'll jump.

That is an excellent point. It would be more likely to save fetal lives in cases when the mother is killed or seriously injured/ill, but the fetus is alive and could be saved by swift removal.