2 days ago
Would YOU use a robot surrogate? China develops the world's first 'pregnancy humanoid' that's capable of giving birth to a live baby
It's a concept that currently only exists in sci–fi movies.
But scientists in China are developing the world's first 'pregnancy robot' capable of carrying a baby to term and giving birth.
The humanoid will be equipped with an artificial womb that receives nutrients through a hose, experts said.
A prototype is expected to be released next year, with a selling price of around 100,000 yuan (£10,000).
Dr Zhang Qifeng, who founded the company Kaiwa Technology, is developing the machine.
The device he envisions is not simply an incubator but a humanoid that can replicate the entire process from conception to delivery, Asian media outlets report.
He said the artificial womb technology is already in a 'mature stage' and now needs to be implanted in the robot's abdomen, 'so that a real person and the robot can interact to achieve pregnancy'.
With regards to ethical and legal issues, he said: 'We have held discussion forums with authorities in Guangdong Province and submitted related proposals while discussing policy and legislation.'
Experts have not yet provided any specifics on how the egg and sperm are fertilised and implanted in the artificial womb.
Dr Zhang's revelations were made during an interview shared on Duoyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
News of the development sparked intense discussion across Chinese social media, with critics condemning the technology as ethically problematic and unnatural.
Many argued that depriving a foetus of maternal connection was cruel, while questions were raised about how eggs would be sourced for the process.
However, many showed support for the innovation, viewing it as a means to spare women from pregnancy–related suffering.
One wrote: 'Many families pay significant expenses for artificial insemination only to fail, so the development of the pregnancy robot contributes to society.'
Previously, scientists have successfully kept premature lambs alive for weeks using an artificial womb that looks like a plastic bag.
The 'biobag' provided everything the foetus needed to continue growing and maturing, including a nutrient–rich blood supply and a protective sac of amniotic fluid.
After 28 days of being in the bag, the lambs – which otherwise would likely have died – had put on weight and grown wool.
While the biobag acts like an incubator, allowing premature individuals to grow in an environment similar to the womb, scientists hope the pregnancy robot will be able to support the foetus from conception to delivery.
Since the 1970s, feminist activists such as Andrea Dworkin have been strongly opposed to the use of artificial wombs on the grounds that it could lead to the 'end of women'.
In 2012, Ms Dworkin wrote: 'Women already have the power to eliminate men and in their collective wisdom have decided to keep them.
'The real question now is, will men, once the artificial womb is perfected, want to keep women around?'
In 2022 a group of researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia – who have been developing artificial wombs – published an article on the ethical considerations of technology.
The researchers wrote: 'A concern is that it could lead to the devaluation or even pathologizing of pregnancy, and may diminish women's experience of deriving meaning, empowerment, and self–fulfillment from this unique aspect of female biology.'
Earlier this year, however, a survey showed that 42 per cent of people aged 18–24 said they would support 'growing a foetus entirely out of woman's body'.
The development is reminiscent of the 2023 film The Pod Generation, where a tech giant offers couples the option of using detachable artificial wombs or 'pods' to share pregnancy.
If it comes to fruition, the humanoid pregnancy could be seen as a tool to help tackle rising rates of infertility in China.
Reports suggest the rates of infertility in China rose from 11.9 per cent in 2007 to 18 per cent in 2020.
In response, local governments in China are including artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization treatments in medical insurance coverage to support childbirth for infertile couples.
EXPLAINED: PREMATURE BIRTH AND ITS RISKS TO BABIES
Around 10 per cent of all pregnancies worldwide result in premature labour - defined as a delivery before 37 weeks.
When this happens, not all of the baby's organs, including the heart and lungs, will have developed. They can also be underweight and smaller.
Tommy's, a charity in the UK, says this can mean so-called preemies 'are not ready for life outside the womb'.
Premature birth is the largest cause of neonatal mortality in the US and the UK, according to figures.
Babies born early account for around 1,500 deaths each year in the UK. In the US, premature birth and its complications account for 17 per cent of infant deaths.
Babies born prematurely are often whisked away to neonatal intensive care units, where they are looked after around the clock.
What are the chances of survival?
