Will artificial wombs replace natural gestation? Until very recently, that notion was a far-fetched conjuring out of futuristic novels such as “Brave New World.” But research that could make this dystopian prospect a reality is fast advancing. Scientists have already gestated premature lambs in artificial wombs and brought mouse fetuses halfway through gestation in such devices—meaning that gestational vats for humans could be operational within the next few decades.
What might such a development mean for human society? A science communicator named Hashem Al-Ghaili just produced a fictional video that illustrates the disturbing potential. The video depicts the product advertisement of an artificial womb company called EctoLife that engages in the mass artificial gestation of human babies created by IVF, infants genetically engineered for eugenics purposes such as high intelligence, physical strength, and hair color.
The faux promotional for the industrialized baby farm coos, “Say goodbye to the pain of childbirth and birth-related muscle contractions. EctoLife provides a safe, pain-free alternative that helps you deliver your baby without stress. The delivery process is smooth, convenient, and can be done with just a push of a button.”
How interested are people in this dehumanizing potential? Very, it seems. Al-Ghaili’s video has already been viewed more than 1.6 million times on YouTube.
We don’t yet have artificial wombs available for human use. But the kind of experiments needed to allow industrialized baby farming are advancing at a breakneck pace. A researcher in China already genetically engineered babies for eugenics purposes. The International Society for Stem Cell Research—which establishes the voluntary ethical guidelines for experimenting on human embryos—in 2021 discarded its “14-Day Rule” that set a two-week time limit on such research, meaning that experiments on more-developed embryos and fetuses that would be required to perfect an artificial womb can proceed apace.
As to the ethics of the matter, many bioethicists swoon at the idea of bringing forth babies without the need for natural gestation.
How should we think about such a development? That’s a profound question. For now, let’s focus on how artificial wombs would denigrate the importance of natural motherhood.
Why? Gestation isn’t simply a matter of having a uterus. The gestational process itself is crucial to a baby’s healthy development and bonding with her mother. For example, a gestating baby can hear her mother’s voice and may begin the process of language development while still in the womb, which is why many experts recommend that pregnant women talk and sing to their baby. Beyond that, maternal bonding pre-birth can make for healthier post-natal development. As one recent research paper reported, “higher maternal bonding contributing to infant developmental outcomes, including higher attachment quality … lower colic rating, easier temperament, and positive infant mood.”
Little of that would happen in a “growth pod.”
“Mothers and babies don’t bond and develop attachments after birth but during the entire pregnancy,” Jennifer Lahl, president and founder of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network, told me. “It cannot be outsourced to an unnatural environment without significant short and long-term consequences to mother and baby.”
Baby Farming Is Already Here
Many might object to EctoLife. But why? We are already desensitized to the moral values that would enable the commercial development of a mass birthing industry. Indeed, such a multibillion-dollar trade already exists. Commercial fertility companies charge want-to-be parents who cannot—or refuse to—become pregnant huge fees to grow and harvest a baby. This is often done by performing IVF and then implanting genetically tested embryos—as in the video—into the uterus of a surrogate mother who’s paid to gestate and give birth.
Surrogates receive little respect for their trouble. They aren’t even called “mothers” but are known in dehumanizing industry parlance as “gestational carriers.” These women are commonly denied any right to participate in the life of the child they carried and may have bonded with for nine months, and the baby loses contact with the mother with whom he or she bonded during the pregnancy. Surrogates may even be denied the right to simply hold the baby after birth.
Moreover, surrogacy contracts may require abortion if the baby has a perceived defect or is otherwise no longer wanted, a requirement that has led to bitter litigation. Nor is there necessarily a requirement that the baby-buying parents accept their special order. For example, a few years ago, an Australian couple paid a Thai woman to gestate two children but refused to take one home because he had Down syndrome.
A Washington Post story from a few years ago details how these technologies are commoditizing childbirth in the very ways that the fictional EctoLife commercial depicts:
“The multibillion-dollar fertility industry is booming and experimenting with business models that are changing the American family in new and unpredictable ways. Would-be parents seeking donor eggs and sperm can pick and choose from long checklists of physical and intellectual characteristics. Clinics now offer volume discounts.”
One California fertility center “is pioneering what some refer to as the ‘Costco mode of babymaking,’ creating batches of embryos using donor eggs and sperm that can be shared among several different families.”
Other than the artificial womb part and mass scale of the enterprise, how’s the commercial surrogacy industry materially different in morals and outcomes than the still-fictional high-tech baby farms?
Industrialized artificial womb baby manufacturing would undermine the essence and meaning of motherhood, which heretofore has been considered a special, and indeed, almost sacred calling. But our existing commercialized fertility business model is already transforming birthing babies into a crass gestational service industry complete with quality control and, even, the right to refuse delivery.
No wonder so many people have watched Al-Ghaili’s video. We are already inured to the dehumanized values for childbirth presented in the film. All that remains to go from inefficient surrogates to mass-producing infants is the perfection of the artificial technology.
Article cross-posted from our premium news partners at The Epoch Times.
Three Reasons a Coffee Gift Set From This Christian Company Is Perfect for Christmas
When you’re searching for a Christmas gift that’s meaningful, useful, and rooted in faith, you don’t want to settle for anything generic. This season is filled with noise — mass-produced products, last-minute picks, and trends that fade as quickly as they appear. But one gift stands apart because it blends genuine quality with a message that matters: a coffee gift set from Promised Grounds Coffee.
This small Christian-owned company has become a favorite among believers who want to support faith-driven businesses while giving friends and family something they’ll actually enjoy. Here are three reasons a Promised Grounds Coffee gift set may be the most thoughtful and impactful present you give this year.
1. It’s Truly Delicious Coffee
Too many “gift-worthy” coffees look beautiful in the package but disappoint when the cup is poured. Promised Grounds takes the opposite approach — exceptional taste first, thoughtful presentation second.
Their beans are sourced with care, roasted in small batches, and crafted to bring out a rich, smooth flavor profile that appeals to both casual drinkers and true coffee lovers. Whether someone enjoys bold, dark roasts or lighter, more delicate blends, every sip reflects quality that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the biggest specialty brands.
Simply put: this coffee is good. Really good. Some say it’s absolutely fantastic. If you want a gift that won’t be re-gifted, ignored, or shoved in a cabinet, this is it.
2. It Spreads the Word While Serving a Real Purpose
There are many Christian gifts that are meaningful… but not exactly practical. There are also useful gifts that have nothing to do with faith. Promised Grounds Coffee bridges both worlds beautifully.
Each gift set delivers an encouraging, faith-centered message through its packaging and presentation — a simple but powerful reminder of God’s goodness during the Christmas season. The cups are especially popular and serve as a daily reminder of the blessings from our Lord. At the same time, the product itself is something people will actually use and appreciate every single day.
It’s a gift that uplifts the spirit and fills the mug. A gift that points loved ones toward Scripture while still being part of the normal rhythm of life. And in a culture that increasingly pushes faith to the margins, giving a gift that quietly but confidently honors Christ can make a deeper impact than you might expect.
3. It’s Affordable, Valuable, and Elegantly Presented
Many people want to give something meaningful without breaking their Christmas budget. Promised Grounds Coffee strikes that perfect balance — the sets look and feel premium, but the price remains accessible.
The packaging is classy, clean, and gift-ready, making it ideal for:
- Family members of all ages
- Co-workers or employees
- Church friends or small-group leaders
- Hosts, neighbors, and last-minute gift needs
It’s the kind of gift that feels more expensive than it is — and more thoughtful than most of what you’ll find on store shelves.
The Perfect Blend of Faith, Flavor, and Christmas Cheer
A coffee gift set from Promised Grounds Coffee checks every box: a gift that tastes amazing, conveys your faith, supports a Christian business, and brings daily enjoyment to the person who receives it. In a season when so many gifts are forgotten, this one stands out for all the right reasons.
If you want a Christmas present that reflects your values and delivers genuine joy, Promised Grounds Coffee is the perfect place to start.
Stop the sliding advertising. It’s distracting and annoying.
I’ll be waiting to hear how God addresses the issue.
The problem is that whatever God says about this matter will be either ignored, suppressed or defamed by our corrupt marxist baby killing misleadia.
Psalm 2
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
My comment is too obvious, so I’ll keep quiet. Don’t want to be called a rascist or something like that.
I am opposed of course, but I have to point out that the existence of such technology means viability outside the mother’s womb now begins at the moment of conception. You can’t cogently argue that a baby inside one of these things is part of its mother’s body. Abortion is murder.
An artificial womb will save lives. But of course it can also be used for evil. That’s true of every technology. We need not let that stop the good. Just do right yourself.