Who's your mommy? That's a question future generations will have a hard time answering now that scientists have created an artificial womb.
The San Jose Mercury News reported that scientists have sustained a goat fetus for weeks inside one of these fantastic plastic wombs. They hope to use this technology to incubate people within the next ten years.
Described as a square box, the synthetic uterus replaces oxygen and cleans the blood of the developing embryo. This requires a sample of tissue from the mother's uterus.
Playing God this way needs to be stopped.
The desire to artificially create life has caused reproductive technology to spin out of control. These technologies developed from an adolescent desire to spread one's seed and from insecurities about sperm count.
Two people should work together to make a child. Machines are no substitute for God's creation. Science stops where people start. Producing children is the right of humanity and not of technology.
Scientists are speculating that this research will generate many other advancements. Science may enable a barren womb to carry a child full term.
Career women will be able to start families without taking off work to have a baby. Instead Jane Career-Woman would get a phone call from the hospital letting her know that her child was born, and she could come pick it up.
I can see it now. Child bearing could be like ordering a pizza. "Delivery in less than ten months or it's free! Call 555-BABY today!"
According to the Mercury News, scientists do not know if a baby that matures outside of the mother's body will identify with the mother the same as babies that do.
But an artificial womb will never prevent strong relationships from developing. I'm pretty close to my dad, and he doesn't even have a uterus.
Krystal Kolstad is a Theater major who wants to teach drama. I asked her if she would rather have a natural birth and have to take a break from her career or use technology to build a child and not have to go through pregnancy.
She said, "Part of the joy of motherhood is carrying a baby inside of you. It's a time for bonding." Hillary Clinton may not have agreed. She didn't want to stay home and, in her words, "bake cookies."
Business major Michael Ly thought that it was ethically OK to use technology to do what nature can't and thought that these new advances simply expand the possibilities already available with in vitro fertilization.
However, when asked if it was morally right, he referenced the Bible.
"Sarah, had a baby when she was past child bearing age. God is in control of childbirth. If someone can't have a baby, we need to ask whether they should or not," said Ly.
The side effects of developing this technology are greater than the initially intended outcome. Energies should be focused on those side effects and not creating a people-farm.
Child bearing is the role of a woman. Giving birth is the one thing that men cannot do or even rival.
We can't take this away from the balance of society. Historically, women were valued because of their magnificent bodies. Today they are celebrated for that among countless other things.
Today's women are reliable politicians, CEOs, accountants, taxidermists and Soldiers. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't protect their value to society as childbearers. Men have a hard enough time respecting the amazing reproductive abilities of the female sex. How much harder will it be for them if wombs are available at every Circle K?
It's like my friend Jeff Rawls always says, "There used to be a time when men wore the pants. Today it's like everybody's wearing shorts. Women have the capri's and men have the daisy dukes, but everybody is wearing shorts."
Artificial wombs bring women one step closer to daisy dukes.
Men would have flip out if scientists developed machines that took on their duties. The day that they invent a jack that changes a tire by itself is the day that men take to the streets in protest. If they ever invent a self-opening pickle jar, men all over the world will throw themselves out windows.
I dread the day that a machine watches Sports Center, senselessly brags about itself and drinks beer.
After all, if women could get that in a machine, why would any of them want me?
Dave Thurston is a bachelor of interdisciplinary studies major. Reach him at david.thurston@asu.edu
