In early-stage animal testing, extremely premature lambs grew, apparently normally, inside the system for three to four weeks, the team reported Tuesday. One of the biggest risks for very young preemies is that their lungs aren't ready to breathe air, she explained. How the "Biobag" system works:—The premature lambs were delivered by C-section and immediately placed into a temperature-controlled bag filled with a substitute for amniotic fluid that they swallow and take into their lungs. The researchers tested five lambs whose biological age was equivalent to 23-week human preemies, and three more a bit older. Flake stressed that the womb-like system isn't intended to support preemies any younger than today's limits of viability — not what he calls the more "sensationalistic" idea of artificially growing embryos.

Source: ABC News April 25, 2017 15:49 UTC