Artificial uterus. Illustration showing an artificial uterus allowing a foetal lamb to grow to term outside the body of its mother. In 2017 US researchers, grew premature lamb foetuses for four weeks in an extra-uterine life support system. Each lamb was placed in a plastic bag filled with artificial amniotic fluid. The umbilical cord was attached to a machine outside of the bag, designed to act like a placenta, providing oxygen and nutrients and removing waste. The lamb was kept in a dark, warm room with sounds of the mother's heart. The system succeeded in helping the premature lamb foetuses to develop normally for a month.