Milestones in the Development of the Artificial Uterus - Case Study Example

THE ARTIFICIAL UTERUS By Location Contents 0 Introduction 1 Explanation ……………………………………………………………………..3 2 Objections to the artificial uterus……………………..……………………..….4 2.0. Milestones in the development of the artificial uterus 2.1 Development of the artificial placenta……………….………………..………5 2.2 Invention of the novel pump-less assist device…………………………………6 3.0 Milestones required in the technical development in the future 3.1 submersion………………………………………………………………….…..6 3.2 Inflammatogenicity and thrombogenicity………………………………………7 3.3. cannulation……………………………………………………………………..7 4.0. Activities for the development of the artificial uterus in the future 4.1. The artificial endometrium……………………………………..…..…………7 4.2. The artificial placenta……………………………………………………..…..7 4.3. The synthetic amniotic fluid………………………………………………….8 5.0 Markets for the future………………………………………………………………….9 6.0 conclusion…………………………………..…………………………………..…….9 Bibliography………………………………………….…………………………….11 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Explanation The availability of machine controlled hearts and kidneys present a new perspective for the creation of a new uterus. Ectogenesis is a term that describes how human pregnancy will be replaced by artificial wombs. An artificial womb is any device capable of nurturing embryonic development past what is achievable by cell culture techniques in a dish (Guenin 2008, pg.245). The uterus should be able to provide nutrients and nurture the fetus and dispose of waste materials. The artificial uterus should have the embryo, an amniotic tank and the umbilical cord. The uterus has the potential of developing the fetus in an environment that is free of diseases or pollutants because its condition can be controlled. The ovary is taken from the woman and kept in a suitable fluid, where it grows for nearly 20 years. The ovary can produce a fresh ovum, with a success rate of around 90%. The ovum can be fertilized and the embryo grown for nine months, just like in a normal pregnancy. The practice of contributing oocytes for research minimizes the rich outbidding the poor. Scientists are experimenting with both live human and animal cells to copy the functioning of the womb and come up with a perfect system (Rosen 2003, pg. 1). The mimic of the natural womb can be traced to the 15th century where Arabian horses were officially inseminated for a specific breed of horse, and the study of chicken reproductive organs and bodies of deceased women in a bid to determine how the organs worked. In the 1950s, artificial wombs were created for lambs with little success. In 1999, scientists at the Juntedo University in Tokyo constructed an artificial uterus using a clear acrylic tank filled with amniotic fluid at room temperature; the umbilical cord of the goat fetus was threaded into two heart-lung machines for oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. Researchers, at the Institute of Zoology, managed to create hybrid panda rabbit eggs in 2002 (Yashon et al 2012, pg. 343). The invention of the artificial uterus evokes fears of the consequences of the ramified consequences of departing from the nature’s method of gestation. The majority of the people, approximately 76.8% of people interviewed, believe that the artificial wombs should not be developed (Simosntein 2009, pg. 214). 1.3. Objection to the development the artificial womb Objection has been raised as to whether the process is totally safe for the child. Critics argue that the lack of full knowledge of the technology might put the safety and condition of the child at risk. They argue that the attempt to develop a child outside the womb is experimentation with human life. If the children nurtured through the artificial womb were to develop fully, it would take several years to determine it their mental and emotional development is normal (Gelfand et al 2006, pg. 16). The growth of children, who may lack some basic nutrients due to the ignorance of the project, could result in a deprived human life for them. It is argued that the mother-to-child relationship is developed from the fact that the mother carries the unborn baby for nine months. The bonding translates into the mother being a better and caring parent than the father because of the intimacy she shared with it during pregnancy. By use of the artificial uterus, this privilege is lost. Critics argue that the mother’s bonding of the child is lost once the child is conceived through the laboratory (Gelfand et al 2006, pg. 17). 2.0 MILESTONES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL UTERUS 2.1. Development of the artificial placenta The invention of the heart machine boosted the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in the pretermeonate. There is a significant progress in the pump technology and the oxygenator which has allowed the development of the artificial uterus to focus in the direction of the physiological role model in the coming years. Cannulation is now performed through the umbilical cord. The parenteral nutrition can be done through the circuit was introduced. Kuwabara Unno and his colleagues refined the artificial placenta and enabled the survival of the placenta for more than three weeks. The liver-tissue damage that they encountered, which was caused by the pump in the arteriovenous circuit, was resolved by the use of the automated flow monitoring and control system in the 1980s. The inclusion of the dialyzer and the close sweep gas monitoring and control allowed the survival of the embryo to be extended and increase its complexity, hence alienating the principal from clinical practice (Rent 2012). In 1992, a pump-less circuit was first introduced. It was used as the first artificial placenta by Awad who evaluated the two commercially available oxygenators. However, only the Capiox 11 08 was the more viable one for their lamb model; the group managed to keep the lamb for up to six hours. The introduction of the pulsatile centrifugal pump in Tokyo, Japan into the circuit increased the life support for the animal up to 234 hours in 1998. In 2009, the Ann Arbor MC3 Oxygenator was used by keeping to the previous experimental approach of submerging the animals in synthetic amniotic fluids. The experiment was based on carrying out physiological studies on the perfusion of fetal pathways under ECLS. The fetal circulation, under a constant proportion of ductus arteriosus perfusion, was unchanged throughout the experiment. The constant decline in arterial blood pressure altered both the systemic and the device flow; hence the experimental period could not last more than four hours (Rent et al, 2012). 2.2 Invention of the novel pump-less assist device The NeonatOx is a pump-less assist device that was created to replace the pulmonary gas exchange. The custom made oxygenator was miniaturized with a circuit filling volume of only twenty milliliters, which is a reduction in the filling volume to less than a quarter of the total blood volume. The passively driven systems are less complicated, impart less blood damage, have a lower filling volume and are transportable (Rent et al, 2012). The miniaturization reduces the priming volume relative to the recipient’s blood volume to the point where the allogeneic blood transfusions become terminated. The step is crucial because as blood transfusion dilutes the concentration of the fetal hemoglobin, the mortality of the neonate is independently increased. The intended parallel operation of the lungs and the oxygenator provides a situation that is forbidden by nature; parallel exchange through the lungs and the placenta should take place. The additional volume load, through the opening of the pulmonary arteries in the presence of the ECLS, is a concern as it may induce heart failure. 3.0. Milestones required in the technical development in the future 3.1. Submersion Studies that have been done have focused mainly on submerging the animal into an artificial amniotic fluid. The process has two setbacks; one, it avoids a drop in the pulmonary arterial pressure that is induced by the aeration of the lungs hence with-holds the fetal circulation and secondly, the external moistening is instrumental in the prevention of secondary spontaneous naval vessel constriction. This obstacle can be overcome by the transfer of the pregnancy into an artificial uterus. However, the unanimated surroundings of the fluid filled incubator shields sensory experience hence creating an artificial barrier (Rent et al, 2012). 3.2. Inflammatogenicity and thrombogenicity Inflammation occurs in cardio-pulmonary bypass of the newborn. Complications that arise from inflammation include broncho-pulmonary dysplasia, white matter syndrome and intracranial hemorrhage. Thrombogenicity is a problem to the preterm newborns because they are susceptible to inter-cranial hemorrhage. The use of surface coating will greatly reduce their effects. Thromboresistant coatings reduce the demands for anticoagulants. By considering, the low circulating blood volume of preterm children, the systemic anticoagulative effects from the coatings will be excluded. The optimization of the flow pattern and coating will improve hemocompatatibility. A substantial reduction of the pro-inflammatory potency of the circuits will be a prerequisite in the long term operation (Rent et al, 2012). 3.3. Cannulation The cannula’s influence on the pressure drop is important because it can exceed the oxygenator’s capability. The design should aim at the largest inner diameter and the shortest insertion length. Polymers which are thin-walled, atraumatic and self-expanding are desirable. 4.0. Activities for the development of the artificial uterus 4.1. The artificial endometrium The interior lining of the uterus should have the same features as the natural one. The endometrium should mimic the gestational process, and even make it better than the natural one. The artificial uterus should be able to spawn and host an actual placenta. Hung-Ching Liu’s had a design of an ideal endometrium, where she prepared a co-cultures system that had both the epithelial and stromal cells. Her research was however terminated before she could conclude it due to ethical considerations (Dvorsky 2014). 4.2. The artificial placenta The advancement of regenerative medicine and personalized genetics artificial is a positive impact in the invention of a perfect artificial uterus. The placenta should be able to develop on the endometrial wall or as an external device. Its capacity should allow the delivery of nutrients, gaseous exchange and eliminate waste products. The main setback involving the development of a perfect placenta is the complexity of the natural one. The artificial placenta should transfer the mother’s antibody to the fetus, control the fetal growth, provide serotonin and reflect how the mother will eat during the normal process (Dvorsky 2014). When the design is not perfect, the fetus may experience growth problems or even death. 4.3. Synthetic amniotic fluid The production and management of the amniotic fluid shall be an important component in the success of the artificial womb. The fluid changes in content during the natural process; hence the synthetic fluid needs to be a complex composition. 5.0 Market for the future The development of the artificial uterus is a safer way for women. Ladies will able to have children without the cost of labor pains or cesarean surgery scars. Moreover, it gives women, who have childbearing difficulties, the opportunity to have children. Women will have the liberty that would not have come with having a normal pregnancy, as keeping up with their careers. During the period that a woman is expecting, her activities are limited. Coupled with the safety concerns that artificial uterus comes with, this is the way for the future. Ectogenesis offers an alternative to surrogate motherhood for ladies that are not capable of pregnancy. The category of these is women who have a hysterectomy and those health problems. Their fertile eggs are collected by laparoscopy and fertilized using their partner’s sperm and then the embryo developed in a test tube. Kuwabara design aimed at helping women who have miscarriages or premature births while Liu intended to help women with difficulty in conceiving (McKie 2002). 6.0. Conclusion The successful development of the artificial uterus, where the unborn will stay and be nourished until it can survive fully outside the womb, will be a breakthrough in the science field. When in use, the long-term effects on babies born in the artificial uterus can be studied and compared to those born naturally. The refinements of these processes will definitely improve the results of the process. Unlike the natural way, the artificial womb is not prone to diseases, malnourishment, drugs and the process can be optimized using advanced biotech machines. The reception of the technology will be mixed; some supporting it and others opposing it. However, for the sake of humanity, embracing the use of artificial uterus is the way to go Bibliography Dvorsky, G. (2014). How to Build an Artificial Womb. [online] io9. Available at: http://io9.com/how-to-build-an-artificial-womb-476464703 [Accessed 29 Jun. 2014]. GELFAND, S. (2006). Ectogenesis: artificial womb technology and the future of human reproduction. Amsterdam [u.a.], Rodopi. GUENIN, L. M. (2008). The morality of embryo use. Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press. McKie, R. (2002). Men redundant? Now we dont need women either. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/feb/10/medicalscience.research [Accessed 29 Jun. 2014]. HAKIM, N. S. (2009). Artificial organs. London, Springer. Reint, K, M. Schober, J. Arens, A. Lohr, M. Seehase, J. Collins, B. Krammer, T. Orliwosky (2012). Artificial organs, Fifty Years on the Artifficial Placenta: Milestones in the History of Extracorporeal Support of the Premature Newborn. The International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals Inc. Rosen C, A journal of Technology and Science, Copyright 2003. All rights reserved. See www.TheNewAtlantis.com for more information SCHENKER, J. G. (2011). Ethical dilemmas in assisted reproductive technologies. Berlin, De Gruyter. SIMONSTEIN, F. (2009). Reprogen-ethics and the future of gender. Dordrecht, Springer. YASHON, R. K., & CUMMINGS, M. R. (2012). Human genetics and society. Australia, Brooks/Cole. . Read More