May 24, 2017 04:42 AM
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/he...thics.html
EXCERPT: [...] Recently, however, scientists announced that they had created an artificial womb in which lambs born prematurely grew for a month. Human testing is not expected for three to five years, if it is done at all. But should an artificial womb succeed for premature infants, it could have far-reaching legal and ethical consequences. The term “artificial womb” evokes a scene from “Brave New World”: external artificial uteri capable of the entire gestation process, from implantation to delivery. But that’s not what the recent animal trial accomplished, nor was that its goal.
[...] Dr. Flake emphasized that the goal of their work was “physiologic support” — that is, to replicate conditions in the uterus as closely as possible, keeping more premature babies alive and able to develop in better health. [...] The mortality rate is greater than 50 percent, and they have a 70 to 90 percent likelihood of experiencing major complications, like cerebral palsy, mental impairment and blindness. [...] Even if extremely premature babies survive their time in the incubator, they may have lifelong impairments or conditions that require support, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. “The ethical dilemma arises with, I think, inappropriate application of the technology to extend the limits of viability,” Dr. Flake said. Candidates for an artificial womb, he said, would be “infants that would currently not be resuscitated....”
MORE: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/he...thics.html
EXCERPT: [...] Recently, however, scientists announced that they had created an artificial womb in which lambs born prematurely grew for a month. Human testing is not expected for three to five years, if it is done at all. But should an artificial womb succeed for premature infants, it could have far-reaching legal and ethical consequences. The term “artificial womb” evokes a scene from “Brave New World”: external artificial uteri capable of the entire gestation process, from implantation to delivery. But that’s not what the recent animal trial accomplished, nor was that its goal.
[...] Dr. Flake emphasized that the goal of their work was “physiologic support” — that is, to replicate conditions in the uterus as closely as possible, keeping more premature babies alive and able to develop in better health. [...] The mortality rate is greater than 50 percent, and they have a 70 to 90 percent likelihood of experiencing major complications, like cerebral palsy, mental impairment and blindness. [...] Even if extremely premature babies survive their time in the incubator, they may have lifelong impairments or conditions that require support, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. “The ethical dilemma arises with, I think, inappropriate application of the technology to extend the limits of viability,” Dr. Flake said. Candidates for an artificial womb, he said, would be “infants that would currently not be resuscitated....”
MORE: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/he...thics.html