Ever see Invasion Of The Body Snatchers?
Yes - this is fascinating from a pure science standpoint - but really scary and borderline unethical for many people. From a research perspective I don’t have an issue with it, but I’m sure a less informed person could easily get themselves very fired up with illusions that this will soon lead to companies growing brainless bodies in vats for organ replacement therapies, on a Matrix-like tangent.
Each year over 300,000 women worldwide die in childbirth or as a result of pregnancy complications, many because they lack basic care. Even in wealthy countries, pregnancy and childbirth is risky and healthcare providers are criticised for failing mothers.
There is an urgent need to make healthcare more accessible across the planet, provide better mental health support for mothers and make pregnancy and childbirth safer. In an ideal world every parent should expect excellent care in all aspects of motherhood. This technology could help treat premature babiesand give at least some women a different option: a choice of whether to carry their child or use an external uterus.
Some philosophers say there is a moral imperative to develop artificial wombs to help remedy the unfairness of parenting roles. But other researchers say artificial wombs would threaten a women’s legal right to terminate a pregnancy.