Protecting Preemies...The Implications

Even in this day and age of advanced technology, premature (<37 weeks) births are often cause of higher rates of mortality and morbidity. Approximately 1/3 of infant deaths and 1/2 of cerebral palsy may be attributed to prematurity. These staggering numbers are attributed to a neonate's inability to survive in the environment outside of its womb. In the past, the formation of an artificial placenta, though appealing, has offered limited success. However, a recent study has shown that with a new form of "artificial placenta" that consists of a cardiac circuit, closed fluid, and pseudo umbilical cord  has shown promise with the gestation of lambs.
This fluid filled sac mimics a womb-like environment and is capable of supporting lambs prematurely for up to 4 weeks. So why lambs you ask? The 105-115 day old lamb preemies' development is very similar to that of a 23 week old human fetus. Surprisingly, this study showed that even after a year of birth, the labs had comparable health outcomes to their fully gestated counterparts! This may indicate that human preemies may also obtain a better quality of life.
As with research in the past, this too holds ethical and legal implications. Such issues are raised around the regulation of abortion and paternal rights. Because this artificial womb may serve as an alternative to the gestation of a woman,  rights may change to denying a woman the option to abort, and instead transfer the fetus to an artificial womb within 18 weeks.  Another possibility is that both may be prohibited. Moreover, paternal rights to an abortion were denied in the past (Missouri v. Danforth) because a woman is the physical bearer of the child and therefore more directly affected by the pregnancy. With the use of artificial wombs, this division of rights may also change. 
Regardless one's stance on this difficult topic, we can agree that this progressive research will certainly aid in the life expectancy and wellness of premature neonates with further research!

Let us know what you think!

Meghana Pisupati
IHS 2018