Artificial womb nurtures 8 fetal lambs for 4 weeks

After 60+ years of research, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has created the first artificial womb that has successfully grown eight fetal lambs for over four weeks.

While previous attempts have only sustained life for just hours, the new system — a plastic bag filled with synthetic lab-made amniotic fluid — was able to support the lamb fetuses for up to 28 days without any damage to their lungs or brain.

Reports indicate the team is now in discussion with the FDA and that babies could be incubated in the system within three years of the first clinical trial.