Premature birth is one of the leading causes of newborn deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Now, doctors are developing an artificial womb that could dramatically improve the survival chances of babies born too early.
Doctors are developing an artificial womb designed to replicate conditions inside the mother’s body, supporting infants born between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, a period when survival is possible but complications are common.
Babies born too early face serious and often life-threatening risks because their bodies are not yet fully developed.
They are at higher risk of dying due to complications such as respiratory problems, feeding difficulties, poor regulation of body temperature, and recurrent infections.
According to the European Commission, about 500,000 babies are born prematurely in Europe every year.
Preterm infants have lower nutrient reserves and immature body systems, which increases the risk of malnutrition, infections, and long-term developmental problems.
The earlier a baby is born, the higher the risk of long-term complications or death.
The device, developed by neonatologists at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands, is essentially a sealed bag filled with heated artificial amniotic fluid.
Inside the so-called AquaWomb, the baby is connected to an artificial placenta that supplies oxygen and nutrients.
By mimicking the maternal womb, doctors hope to extend the fetal stage of development, improving health outcomes later in life.
"We want to keep the fetal physiology, the fetal circulation, we want to keep it intact …so that it can develop for a couple more weeks,” said Myrthe van der Ven, the co-founder of AquaWomb.
Just four additional weeks of development can significantly improve survival rates and reduce the risk of chronic health problems, the team behind the device said.
"There is a huge difference if you were born at 24 weeks or 28 weeks… We know that young adults born prematurely still face the complications related to their pre-term birth,” said Willem de Boode, a paediatrician-neonatologist at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre.
A key requirement is delivering the baby by caesarean section, allowing it to be transferred directly into a bag filled with artificial amniotic fluid. This prevents exposure to air, which can damage the lungs.
"For the delivery, it's really important that you prevent the triggering of spontaneous breathing,” said de Boode.
“That will mean that you need a transfer device from the womb into the perinatal life support, (so) that the baby doesn't start breathing air but is in artificial amniotic fluid,” he added.
After the transfer, the baby must be connected to an artificial placenta within minutes to receive oxygen and nutrients.
“Because the placenta of the mother is not working anymore once the baby is born. So that's the most critical step, I think, in the whole procedure,” said van der Ven.
The project in Eindhoven is still in the development phase.
Similar research efforts are underway in the United States and Canada, as scientists move closer to transforming neonatal care.
In 2024, the WHO reported that there are approximately 6,400 newborn deaths every day globally, amounting to nearly 47 percent of all child deaths under five.
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