VOA科学技术2023--Spanish Researchers Aim to 'Trick Nature' with Manufactured Uterus

Researchers in the city of Spanish city of Barcelona are trying to "trick nature" by engineering a uterus from special materials.

The goal is to use the artificial uterus to protect babies who are born too early and who have not developed enough to survive outside the womb.

The scientists have tested the artificial uterus with animal fetuses². They were able to keep one fetus¹ alive for 12 days.

The researchers also created an artificial placenta. The placenta is an organ that develops during pregnancy³ to provide nutrients⁴ to the growing baby in the uterus.

The artificial uterus recreates a protected environment in which the fetus' organs can continue to develop. It is made of a clear material that the researchers say does not react with tissue.

The artificial uterus is connected to a system that continuously introduces amniotic fluid: a fluid that helps the baby develop in the uterus. The artificial uterus keeps the fetus separated from outside influences but still permits testing and observation.

Babies born after six months of pregnancy or less are considered extremely premature⁵, or underdeveloped, with a high risk of death or disability. The latest numbers from the World Health Organization show that 900,000 premature babies died around the world in 2019.

Eduard Gratacos is head of the project. He told Reuters news service that the researchers are trying to develop a system that permits them to keep a fetus outside its mother but still in fetal conditions. Those conditions include breathing and eating through the umbilical cord, the passage that connects the baby to the placenta. The researchers hope to keep a fetus surrounded by fluid and at a controlled temperature so it can survive and develop.

Gratacos leads a team of 35 scientists from BCNatal Medical Research Center. The center is linked to two hospitals, the University of Barcelona and the non-profit organization called the La Caixa foundation. It combines experts in maternal⁶-fetal medicine and obstetrics.

The team has studied the manufactured uterus with baby sheep. They also plan to test the system with pigs before proposing human studies in a few years.

Gratacos said the complex project includes many different specialties⁷ of medicine and requires several kinds of engineers. He added, "It's a challenge, it's extremely delicate to achieve this, to trick nature to make this possible."

There are a few similar projects around the world. One group of scientists at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia kept animal fetuses alive for up to 28 days.

Kelly Werner is a professor of baby development at Columbia University in New York City. Werner told the Science Media Centre in Britain that the Spanish team's results must be completely tested on humans for safety and side effects.

Werner said that although it is an interesting development, the manufactured placenta is not meant to replace a natural placenta. She said, "We still should make every effort to support maternal health and decrease risk factors that lead to preterm birth."

Words in This Story

artificial –adj. manufactured by humans, not natural

trick – v. to deceive (someone)

obstetrics –n. the area of medicine that deals with the care of a mother before, during and after birth, and the process of giving birth to a child

challenge – n. a difficult task or problem

delicate – adj. requiring special care or skill

achieve – v. to get or reach (something) by working hard

maternal – adj. of or relating to a woman who is having a baby

factor – n. something that helps produce or influence a result

1 fetus   

n.胎，胎儿

参考例句：

• In the fetus,blood cells are formed in different sites at different ages.胎儿的血细胞在不同时期生成在不同的部位。
• No one knows why a fetus is not automatically rejected by the mother's immune system. 没有人知道为什么母亲的免疫系统不会自动排斥胎儿。

2 fetuses   

n.胎，胎儿( fetus的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• DNA was extracted from fetuses at mid-gestation, about 10 days past conception. DNA从受孕大约10天后的中期妊娠胚胎中提取。 来自互联网
• Brucellosis is a disease that causes fetuses to abort in cattle. 普鲁士菌病是一种可以导致牲畜胎儿夭折的疾病。 来自互联网

3 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

4 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

6 maternal   

adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的

参考例句：

• He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
• The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

7 specialties   

n.专门，特性，特别；专业( specialty的名词复数 )；特性；特制品；盖印的契约

参考例句：

• Great Books are popular, not pedantic. They are not written by specialists about specialties for specialists. 名著绝不引经据典，艰深难懂，而是通俗易读。它们不是专家为专业人员撰写的专业书籍。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• Brain drains may represent a substantial reduction in some labor force skills and specialties. 智力外流可能表示某种劳动力技能和特长大量减少。 来自辞典例句