Video about artificial wombs is not real

A video on Facebook appears to show an “artificial womb facility” as a solution to low birth rates in some countries.

A voiceover in the video introduces “EctoLife, the world’s first artificial womb facility, powered entirely by renewable energy” and says it “allows infertile couple to conceive a baby and become the true biological parents of their own offspring” [sic].

Full Fact has previously reported on this supposed “facility”, which does not exist. The video is the product of Hashem Al-Ghaili, who describes himself in a press release for the concept as a producer, filmmaker and science communicator. 

Mr Al-Ghaili previously told Full Fact that the video is “just a concept intended to highlight technological progress” and is not real.

Although the caption of the Facebook posts references “human cloning”, the video makes no mention of this. 

Artificial wombs have been used to grow lambs and mice foetuses for short periods, but not humans. Scientists in the Netherlands are working on artificial wombs for premature babies but say it could be at least a decade until this technology is rolled out. These scientists have also said their technology is not suitable and will not be used for growing babies entirely outside the human womb. And although scientists in China have cloned a monkey from foetal (not adult) cells, no one has successfully cloned a human being.

Misleading claims like this about what is scientifically possible risk causing unnecessary alarm. When sharing something online you should take time to consider if it shows what it claims to. We’ve written guides on how to identify misleading images and videos which can help you to do this.  

Image courtesy of Daniel Reche