Barcelona researchers develop artificial placenta for premature infants

A research team in Barcelona, led by Dr. Eduard Gratacós, is working to develop the world’s first artificial placenta, also known as a liquid incubator. The goal is to allow extremely premature babies to survive outside the womb without severe long-term consequences by mimicking the intrauterine environment.

Through the fetaLife project—a BCNatal consortium involving Hospital Clínic and Sant Joan de Déu—researchers have successfully extended the survival of a sheep fetus to 21 days. This technology aims to provide a stable liquid medium where the fetus can continue to mature without the stress of activating lungs and intestines prematurely.

While research groups in Philadelphia and an Australian-Japanese consortium are also working on similar technology, the Barcelona team has begun the process of preparing for human trials. This milestone could significantly impact the approximately 25,000 premature babies born each year in Europe with less than six months of gestation.