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Why don't we just grow babies in a test tube?

We each have our sperm and eggs frozen at say like 18-21. Then later in life when we have a partner and we are ready to have a baby we just use our stored eggs + sperm, stick em together, and let the baby grow in an artificial womb.

It must be possible. If we crack the science it then just becomes an engineering/economic problem :beard:

Not only would we solve the whole people having babies to late we would also get rid of the whole having to give birth thing for women.

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(edited 8 years ago)

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Yes, let's take one of the most natural and beautiful life experiences, suck all the humanity out of it, and turn it into just another cold, clinical, procedure.

And while we are at it, let's go full sociopath and cut down all the real trees and replace them artificial ones that will do the same job of producing oxygen as real trees, with the added bonus that they don't need pruning, won't catch diseases and will never die. Sure they might not be as aesthetically pleasing as real trees, but who cares about such trivial matters, function and efficiency is all matters in our brave new world.
Because nearly no one would go ahead with this.
Reply 3
Avatar for TALAKHAN
TALAKHAN
1
Because that's how we eventually destroy ourselves like the Kryptonians.

Original post by ChaoticButterfly
We each have our sperm and eggs frozen at say like 18-21. Then later in life when we have a partner and we are ready to have a baby we just use our stored eggs + sperm, stick em together, and let the baby grow in an artificial womb.

It must be possible. If we crack the science it then just becomes an engineering/economic problem :beard:

Not only would we solve the whole people having babies to late we would also get rid of the whole having to give birth thing for women.

Spoiler

Giving birth sucks ass but it's an experience most women willingly want to go through, myself included. To take away that would be taking away yet another reproductive right from us.
1. The conventional method of a quick shag in the back of a Ford Fiesta overlooking the local industrial estate costs nothing. In vitro costs thousands of pounds.

2. We haven't developed artificial wombs. It would be very technically difficult to do.
Original post by BookBird
Giving birth sucks ass but it's an experience most women willingly want to go through, myself included. To take away that would be taking away yet another reproductive right from us.


Try to help them and they say no...women logic.
Reply 7
Avatar for Howard
Howard
5
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
We each have our sperm and eggs frozen at say like 18-21. Then later in life when we have a partner and we are ready to have a baby we just use our stored eggs + sperm, stick em together, and let the baby grow in an artificial womb.

It must be possible. If we crack the science it then just becomes an engineering/economic problem :beard:

Not only would we solve the whole people having babies to late we would also get rid of the whole having to give birth thing for women.

Spoiler



Huxlean.
What if the test tubes are dropped by accident and you've lost your kid after spending tons on it?
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
We each have our sperm and eggs frozen at say like 18-21. Then later in life when we have a partner and we are ready to have a baby we just use our stored eggs + sperm, stick em together, and let the baby grow in an artificial womb.

It must be possible. If we crack the science it then just becomes an engineering/economic problem :beard:

Not only would we solve the whole people having babies to late we would also get rid of the whole having to give birth thing for women.

Spoiler



It's terrifying that people actually think like this.
Original post by Greenlaner
Yes, let's take one of the most natural and beautiful


Birth is not beautiful, it is disgusting.

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Original post by Serine Soul
What if the test tubes are dropped by accident and you've lost your kid after spending tons on it?


There would be backups in secure fridges.
Original post by Kvothe the arcane
There would be backups in secure fridges.


What if there's a powercut?
Because mother-derived factors are essential for fetal development. Even if we do somehow create an artificial bit for the placenta to grow on to, we'd still need to hook the mum up for plasma exchange
Original post by Serine Soul
What if there's a powercut?


Backup generators. They already have such systems in existing facilities.
Original post by Greenlaner
Yes, let's take one of the most natural and beautiful life experiences, suck all the humanity out of it, and turn it into just another cold, clinical, procedure.

And while we are at it, let's go full sociopath and cut down all the real trees and replace them artificial ones that will do the same job of producing oxygen as real trees, with the added bonus that they don't need pruning, won't catch diseases and will never die. Sure they might not be as aesthetically pleasing as real trees, but who cares about such trivial matters, function and efficiency is all matters in our brave new world.


Preach!
Well this doesn't remind me of Frankenstein at all...

Also many believe that one of the most beautiful things about a womans bodies is their ability to grow a baby inside them for 9 months, so taking that away would make a lot of people very angry, as it can be considered reducing the role of women in society.

I can actually see it now, angry feminists with posters headlined "Now men reproduce better". XD
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Serine Soul
What if the test tubes are dropped by accident and you've lost your kid after spending tons on it?


Then you seek damages and compensation for emotional injury. No win, no fee. :h:
I don't think OP is suggesting this be compulsory just optional, so calm down Luddites.

Egg freezing is getting more and more common, and sperm freezing too especially as evidence mounts that older gametes are not so good :frown:. I see a future where many will choose to freeze gametes while they are young and healthy.

But artificial wombs I'm not so sure. There are so many intricate biological functions going on, including a lot of communication between mother and fetus. Not sure how feasible or desirable it would be to replicate or remove that. Many women love being pregnant so I don't see much of a demand for what would surely be very expensive either. Avoiding birth with no negative consequences would be great though...
I remember there being an outrage not too long ago over artificial wombs because some people claimed they were going to remove reproductive power from women in society.

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