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Artificial Womb: Yes or No? And Why?

I don't know whether many of you know the concept behind artificial wombs or if such a concept existed (theoretical), but nevertheless: I shall present background information and pros and cons.

Please add more background information if you feel I am missing something.

An artificial womb contains cells from the lining of the uterus and this is where the egg is implanted. It would have to successfully replicate many of the physiological features that occur naturally in pregnancy, particularly those provided by the placenta. These include the transfer of nutrients and oxygen to the foetus, and the excretion of waste products such as urea and carbon dioxide.

Pros:
- Will benefit women who have damaged wombs
- Equality for both sexes
- Women do not need to take maternity leave
- Deaths of premature infants could be drastically reduced
- Artificial womb may be safer than a 'normal' womb, ie the risks of diseases, accidents, drugs, alcohol, pollutants, inadequate nutrition, etc., would all be virtually eliminated
- Will benefit women who cant conceive
- If technology improves, will benefit same sex couples
- Could potentially end abortion debate, ie instead of terminating the pregnancy, the baby can be moved to the artificial womb and put up for adoption
-

Cons:
- Quite a lot of research suggests that at some stage the fetus begins to be influenced by the environment in which it is growing, which means that the mother's heartbeat, her actions, and the stimuli which reach the womb all affect how the fetus grows.
- May be used for no reason at all, as women are no longer forced to endure pregnancy (ie more money unnecessarily spent)

So, Yes or No? And Why?
(edited 10 years ago)

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Can someone move this to society?
Reply 2
Sounds like an interesting concept with many benefits.

Would you have like an incubated for the womb or some sort of space? As it'd eventually get bigger as the foetus grows.


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Original post by corax
Sounds like an interesting concept with many benefits.

Would you have like an incubated for the womb or some sort of space? As it'd eventually get bigger as the foetus grows.


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Yes, I agree and let me just research that. Interesting question, thank you.
Original post by corax
Sounds like an interesting concept with many benefits.

Would you have like an incubated for the womb or some sort of space? As it'd eventually get bigger as the foetus grows.


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Not much on where it would be placed, but I assume it wouldn't be in the mother's home, but in a hospital, maybe?
:bump:
Reply 6
One potential problem is ending up reliant on the technology. If use of artificial wombs becomes the norm then a few hundred years down the line, most people may be incapable of giving birth naturally.

Then again, you could make the same argument against IVF I suppose.
Reply 7
Disagree I think the natural way of reproduction is better
Moved to society :smile:
Reply 9
Isn't this just another way to render human beings useless?
I think some women won't be keen on this. They'll probably feel as though they have been rendered useless.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by Ade9000
I don't think women will be keen on this. They'll probably feel as though they have been rendered useless.

I know what you mean, but you want to be careful with what you're implying there...
Very interesting topic! Why would women not need maternity leave though? AFAIK they only take leave JUST before the baby is born and use the months afterwards to care for baby, not recover from the birth itself.

Also, with this technology I presume it would not be possible for the mother to breastfeed the baby (no foetus in her womb therefore not triggering milk production), which some might not be happy with. Or does any drug currently exist that can trigger milk production? Quite a minor negative though.
Original post by PoisonSky
I know what you mean, but you want to be careful with what you're implying there...


Understood. What I'm getting at is that it's a woman's role to bear children and to remove that role, we don't what that may imply for the treatment of women.
Reply 14
Original post by nivvy21
.

If you were to have a baby at a time when artifical wombs were available, would you consider it?
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by Psyk
One potential problem is ending up reliant on the technology. If use of artificial wombs becomes the norm then a few hundred years down the line, most people may be incapable of giving birth naturally.

Then again, you could make the same argument against IVF I suppose.


Planet Krypton? Superman was the first natural birth in centuries.
Reply 16
Original post by SaFa1237
Planet Krypton? Superman was the first natural birth in centuries.


Was that mentioned in Man of Steel? I vaguely remember that.

That's not specifically why I thought of it. It comes up in sci-fi in general quite a lot.
Reply 17
Original post by Psyk
Was that mentioned in Man of Steel? I vaguely remember that.

That's not specifically why I thought of it. It comes up in sci-fi in general quite a lot.


Yep.
And yes, I've heard of that but is natural birth really the be all and end all?
There are many pros and cons, such as the advancement of the human race, controlling the spread of inherited diseases etc.
And then there's 'what does it mean to be human?'
It's a very tough subject and there probably won't be any development in our lifetime.
Reply 18
Original post by SaFa1237
Yep.
And yes, I've heard of that but is natural birth really the be all and end all?
There are many pros and cons, such as the advancement of the human race, controlling the spread of inherited diseases etc.
And then there's 'what does it mean to be human?'
It's a very tough subject and there probably won't be any development in our lifetime.


The problem is that humanity will die out if the technology is lost.
Reply 19
Original post by Psyk
The problem is that humanity will die out if the technology is lost.


But it would still be possible to have natural births. It just won't be the social norm. We won't lose the ability unless something happens through evolution.

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