The artificial womb

Scott Gelfand,Director
Thursday 17 July 2008 13:10 BST
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There is some research aiming to increase embryo survival. There are also people who are working on the other end – at the moment babies can only survive from about 22 weeks. Someone could join these two advances together and we could have complete ectogenesis [in which the foetus develops outside the body in an artificial uterus]. I find it interesting – and scary. Even in terms of insurance: if it became economically competitive with other forms of gestation, insurers might compel a person to use it to avoid premature birth or foetal alcohol syndrome. It's something that really needs to be talked about. Will it happen? Dolly was a complete surprise to everybody...

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