The human race might be on the verge of outsourcing pregnancy. No more swollen feet, no morning sickness—just a fetus floating in a high-tech plastic bubble while algorithms ensure optimal conditions. Sci-fi? Not for long.
A new survey suggests that nearly half of Gen Z is ready to ditch traditional pregnancy in favor of artificial wombs. The concept, known as ectogenesis, involves growing a baby entirely outside the human body, from embryo to birth, in a sealed environment that mimics the womb. Sounds like something cooked up in a Silicon Valley lab, right?
The survey, conducted by the religious think tank Theos, asked 2,292 people for their thoughts on artificial wombs. While most respondents balked at the idea, 42% of 18- to 24-year-olds said they’d be on board. Whether that’s a sign of progress or the plot of humanity’s next existential crisis depends on who you ask.
Proponents argue this is a game-changer for women. No more life-threatening pregnancies. No more nine-month physical transformations. No more debates over reproductive rights—because now, theoretically, entire pregnancies could take place in a lab. Some see this as the ultimate feminist revolution; others see it as the technological erasure of womanhood itself.
Of course, not everyone is eager to toss pregnancy onto the scrap heap of history. Overall, only 21% of the survey respondents supported full ectogenesis, while a solid 52% opposed it outright. Religious groups were especially wary, and women were less likely than men to favor the technology. Maybe because, for better or worse, pregnancy has been their domain for millennia.
The biological mechanics of this concept are mind-bending. In a normal pregnancy, a fetus spends around 40 weeks suspended in amniotic fluid, receiving oxygen and nutrients through the placenta. An artificial womb would mimic this perfectly—except the entire process would take place outside the body, with sensors, tubes, and precision-engineered fluids replacing nature.
Right now, scientists can sustain extremely premature infants in artificial wombs for short periods. Full-term artificial gestation? Not yet doable. But the pace of biotech advancement has a habit of making today’s impossibilities look foolishly quaint tomorrow.
Critics worry this could mark the “end of women” in a way no past technology ever has. If a uterus becomes obsolete, what happens to societal perceptions of womanhood? And then there’s the issue of control—who owns the artificial wombs? Big Pharma? Governments? Private investors with questionable ethics? Take a wild guess.
The ethical landmines are endless. Would artificial wombs be reserved for medical emergencies, or would they become a luxury service for the ultra-rich? If the technology becomes mainstream, could it reinforce inequality—allowing elites to outsource pregnancy while others continue the old-fashioned way? And what about the psychological impact on the child, growing in a bag instead of a body?
For now, full-scale artificial wombs remain in the realm of speculative science. But if the younger generation has anything to say about it, the human reproductive system may be due for a software update. Whether that’s evolution or extinction is still up for debate.
Five Fast Facts
- In 2017, scientists successfully grew premature lambs in artificial wombs, paving the way for human trials.
- The term “ectogenesis” was coined in 1924 by British biologist J.B.S. Haldane, who predicted artificial wombs would become reality within a century.
- In Aldous Huxley’s novel *Brave New World*, babies are grown in artificial wombs and classified into social castes before birth.
- Some researchers believe artificial wombs could help address global fertility decline by making reproduction less physically demanding.
- Theos, the religious think tank behind the survey, also explores ethics in AI, genetic engineering, and transhumanism.