Classical Theism, Philosophy, and Religion Forum / Artificial reproduction

**Posted by am93** 8/26/2017 4:49 am

I just read some articles about artificial wombs (biobags), they will basically give premature babies a chance to survive, without significant damages, that result from premature birth. I think that saving premature babies is a good thing, but what I don't agree with is the possibility of growing a baby from the embryo stage and forth (wich I don't think is possible), making the female womb unnecessary. This will probably challenge natural reproduction and make it possible for anyone to have a child (without going through surogacy/adoption/ivf/natural child birth). Abortion is one of the bigger issues that comes to mind, what if the parent/parents decide that they don't want the child anymore, what then? is abortion still possible? does it even count as abortion if the child is not in the mothers womb?

Last edited by am93 (8/26/2017 6:58 am)

**Posted by DanielCC** 8/26/2017 8:31 am

am93 wrote:
I just read some articles about artificial wombs (biobags), they will basically give premature babies a chance to survive, without significant damages, that result from premature birth. I think that saving premature babies is a good thing, but what I don't agree with is the possibility of growing a baby from the embryo stage and forth (wich I don't think is possible), making the female womb unnecessary. This will probably challenge natural reproduction and make it possible for anyone to have a child (without going through surogacy/adoption/ivf/natural child birth). Abortion is one of the bigger issues that comes to mind, what if the parent/parents decide that they don't want the child anymore, what then? is abortion still possible? does it even count as abortion if the child is not in the mothers womb?

Conversely one might argue that one of the benefits is that there is a non-lethal alternative to abortion - if someone does not want the developing embryo it can removed and allowed to gestate in an artificial enviroment.

**Posted by am93** 8/26/2017 11:42 am

agree, it could possibly serve as a "middle ground" in the abortion debate, something both sides could approve on, but only if the embryo is successfully retrived from the womb, if the procedure causes damage or death of the embryo then I don't see the benefits (termination is still the end result of the embryo). Nevertheless, I think that artificial wombs if possible, should only be limited as an incubator for premature children, giving them a stable enviroment, and a chance for survival.