Artificial Womb Offers Hope for 15 Million Premature Babies
15 Million Premature Babies Every Year
Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely around the world, before reaching the 37-week mark. Most of the problems of premature babies are caused by the immaturity of the lungs. However, recent advancements in medical technology have led to the development of an artificial womb that could potentially save the lives of premature babies.
The artificial womb works by replicating the same environment the baby had before birth. It allows the fetus to breathe by connecting the fetus’s umbilical cord to an oxygenator that circulates blood and places the fetus in a fluid sac, mimicking the womb. Initial experiments on premature lambs were found to keep them alive and the animals showed healthy development of lungs, brain and other organs.
The lambs observed in the experiment were born between 106 and 113 days, the biological equivalent of a 23-24 week premature human baby. Successful experiments in lambs have led the FDA to consider seeking approval to begin human trials. The decision on human experiments will be announced towards the end of the year.
The potential of the artificial womb to save the lives of premature babies is groundbreaking, and could potentially change the way we approach and treat premature births in the future. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of human trials and the impact of the artificial womb on premature births worldwide.
