Ectogenesis: Capsula Mundi, Flower Baby, and Sacrificial Lamb

In this short article, I consider the mythologies of ectogenesis that have arisen in response to breakthroughs in scientific research on incubators from the 1880s to the present day. In particular, I interrogate contemporary claims that artificial womb technologies could one day replace abortion. I argue that these claims demonstrate a significant lack of attention to care and relationality during pregnancy. Finally, I propose that we can use the fantasy of ectogenesis in a different way, to imagine a new kind of future rather than replicating the narratives of the past.