Scientists have developed a technology that can prove to be life-saving for premature babies. Researchers in the Netherlands and Germany are working on an artificial womb that can resemble a mother’s womb. It’s called Aquawomb and it’s designed to help babies born between 22 and 24 weeks of pregnancy, a stage where they have little chance of survival. Let us explain how it works.
How does this work?
According to reports, the system works in a tank filled with a transparent liquid, which is approximately the size of an aquarium, and whose temperature remains constant at 37.6 degrees Celsius. The baby floats and grows inside a soft, double-layered membrane, while oxygen and other vital nutrients are delivered through an artificial placenta.
What do experts say?
“The biggest challenge is the lungs. It’s like handling ten burning balls at once, not one of which must fall off,” said Professor Frans van de Vosse of Eindhoven University of Technology. Stabilizing each limb is an extremely delicate process. If successful, artificial womb technology could revolutionize the lives of premature babies. Currently, such children remain dependent on ventilators and incubators, putting them at risk of permanent damage to their lungs.
“We not only want to save lives, but also give parents a sense of connection to their baby,” says Mirthe van der Veen, co-founder and CEO of Aquawomb. Some prototypes include ports that allow parents to touch their baby, as well as a uterine phone that transmits the parent’s voice and heartbeat through the amniotic fluid.
What is the problem with this?
Experts believe that this technology can also raise new ethical and emotional debates in the medical world. Professor Elizabeth Chloe Romanis, of Durham University, said: “This will be a new stage of human development, which does not yet have a legal or moral definition.” The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has formed a committee to conduct the first human trials of this technology in 2023. It may initially be tested on babies born before 24 weeks, who have little chance of survival with current medical methods.
US company Vitara Biomedical has raised $125 million to work on similar biobag technology, indicating that clinical trials could begin soon. However, bioethics experts warn that while this technology could save millions of lives, it could also challenge traditional definitions of pregnancy and motherhood.
