China develops world’s first “pregnancy robot” to carry babies to term PHOTO

Scientists in China are working on the development of the world’s first humanoid “pregnancy robot” capable of carrying a baby to term and giving birth.

The robot will be equipped with an artificial womb that receives nutrients through a hose, experts told foreign media.

A prototype is expected to be unveiled next year, with a projected price of around 100,000 yuan (£10,000). The project is led by Dr. Zhang Qifeng, founder of Kaiwa Technology, who envisions the device not merely as an incubator but as a humanoid that can replicate the entire process from conception to delivery, according to Asian media reports.

Dr. Zhang stated that artificial womb technology is already in a “mature stage” and now needs to be integrated into the robot’s abdomen to allow interaction between a real person and the robot to achieve pregnancy. Regarding ethical and legal considerations, he added: “We have held discussion forums with authorities in Guangdong Province and submitted related proposals while discussing policy and legislation.”

Details on how eggs and sperm would be fertilized and implanted into the artificial womb have not yet been disclosed. Dr. Zhang shared his insights in an interview on Duoyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

The announcement has sparked intense debate on Chinese social media. Critics have raised ethical concerns, describing the technology as unnatural and cruel, arguing that depriving a foetus of maternal connection is harmful. Questions have also been raised about sourcing eggs for the process.

However, some users expressed support, seeing the innovation as a way to spare women from pregnancy-related hardships. One commentator noted: “Many families pay significant expenses for artificial insemination only to fail, so the development of the pregnancy robot contributes to society.”

The concept builds on previous artificial womb experiments. Scientists have successfully kept premature lambs alive for weeks using a “biobag,” which provides a nutrient-rich blood supply and protective amniotic sac. After 28 days in the bag, lambs that otherwise would have died had gained weight and grown wool. Unlike the biobag, which acts as an incubator, the pregnancy robot aims to support a foetus from conception to delivery.

The technology also raises long-standing ethical debates. Since the 1970s, feminist activists such as Andrea Dworkin have opposed artificial wombs, warning that they could threaten the role of women. In 2012, Dworkin wrote: “The real question now is, will men, once the artificial womb is perfected, want to keep women around?”

Similarly, a 2022 study by researchers at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia highlighted potential concerns that artificial wombs could devalue pregnancy and diminish women’s sense of empowerment and fulfilment derived from their unique biology. Yet public opinion appears divided: a 2025 survey showed that 42% of people aged 18–24 would support growing a foetus entirely outside a woman’s body.

The concept is reminiscent of the 2023 film The Pod Generation, in which couples can use detachable artificial wombs or “pods” to share pregnancy.

If realised, China’s pregnancy robot could also help address rising infertility rates, which climbed from 11.9% in 2007 to 18% in 2020. In response, local governments have included artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation treatments in medical insurance coverage to support infertile couples seeking to have children.

By Tamilla Hasanova