Artificial Womb - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org  ## Metadata - Author: **en.wikipedia.org** - Full Title: Artificial Womb - Wikipedia - Category: #articles - URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_womb ## Highlights - An artificial uterus or artificial womb is a device that would allow for extracorporeal pregnancy[2] by growing a fetus outside the body of an organism that would normally carry the fetus to term. An artificial uterus, as a replacement organ, would have many applications. It could be used to assist male or female couples in the development of a fetus.[2] This can potentially be performed as a switch from a natural uterus to an artificial uterus, thereby moving the threshold of fetal viability to a much earlier stage of pregnancy.[2] In this sense, it can be regarded as a neonatal incubator with very extended functions. It could also be used for the initiation of fetal development.[2] An artificial uterus could also help make fetal surgery procedures at an early stage an option instead of having to postpone them until term of pregnancy.[2] In 2016, scientists published two studies regarding human embryos developing for thirteen days within an ecto-uterine environment.[3][4] Currently, a 14-day rule prevents human embryos from being kept in artificial wombs longer than 14 days. This rule has been codified into law in twelve countries.[5] In 2017, fetal researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia published a study showing they had grown premature lamb fetuses for four weeks in an extra-uterine life support system