Artificial womb for very premature babies

 (dpa) - A newly developed system that mimics the human uterus may one day help extremely premature babies bridge the gap between their mother’s womb and the outside world.   

Although further work is needed before the system can be tested on humans, US researchers have already successfully tested it on foetal lambs.  

Designed by researchers from the Centre for Fetal Research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the “extra-uterine system” incorporates a sealed, translucent “biobag” filled with artificial amniotic fluid that is continuously exchanged and, outside it, a pumpless circuit connected to the foetus via the umbilical cord for oxygenation of the blood and infusion of nutrients.