The Artificial Womb on Trial

This Element scrutinises the research through which artificial wombs could come about, investigating the ethical pursuit of this technology.

Teresa Baron (Author)

9781009544504, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 27 February 2025

80 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 0.6 cm, 0.252 kg

Artificial womb technology is approaching over the scientific horizon. Recent proof-of-principle experiments using foetal animals have prompted a new surge of bioethical interest in the topic: scholars have asked what ectogenesis would mean for individuals, family, oppressed groups, and society at large; how we can or should regulate the technology; and whose interests motivate ectogenic research. However, a full investigation of the bioethics of ectogenesis must ask, 'how do we get there?' This Element places the research and development process itself under the microscope and explores the bioethical issues raised by human subject trials of ectogenic prototypes. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

1. Introduction
2. Beyond barbarism
3. Mother machines
4. The 'stranded mountain climber'
5. Spare parts
6. The convergence argument
7. Life in the petri dish
8. Animal research and human embryoids
9. Prematurity and the placenta problem
10. Pre-term survival and the foetal sheep
11. Size matters
12. Candidates for experimental ectogestation
13. Trials and treatments
14. Absolute (de)termination
15. The experimental child
16. Ambitions, outcomes, and non-identity
17. Conclusions
References.

Subject Areas: Child & developmental psychology [JMC]