By Emma Wynne

102.5 ABC Perth

Topic: Pregnancy and Childbirth

Saturday, 18 July 2026, at 3:48 pm

Professor Matt Kemp is leading research on artificial placentas at the Women and Infants Research Foundation.

Babies born too early face big challenges. Their lungs are not developed, and their skin is fragile.

A project at the Women and Infants Research Foundation is working on an artificial placenta to help these babies.

This technology would give babies the nutrients and oxygen they need to grow before they have to breathe and eat on their own.

Professor Matt Kemp is in charge of this research.

He talked to Jo Trilling on 102.5 ABC Radio Perth about the challenges of babies born at 22 or 23 weeks.

Often, these babies are born early because something is wrong with the pregnancy.

There might be an infection or a problem with the placenta.

These babies are not only immature but also often sick, making it hard to treat them.

A bridge out of the uterus

The artificial placenta could give these babies a better chance to grow and develop before birth.

This technology is a way to give babies a few more weeks to grow in an environment similar to the uterus.

It's not the same as the uterus, but it's close, and it will help them adjust to life outside.

A human placenta after birth.

The placenta is a baby's life-support system, providing nutrients and oxygen.

The artificial placenta is being tested in sheep and is connected via the belly button.

It looks like two small, clear blocks with catheters and hoses.

It's a small device that helps with gas exchange.

The system is powered by the fetus's heart, making it respond to the fetus's needs.

A tiny baby in the hospital.

Learning more about the placenta

This research project is teaching us more about how placentas work.

The technology could help very small babies have better survival rates and a healthier life.

It's also a tool to study the complex inputs from the mother and the placenta.

We can use this technology to understand what babies need from their mothers to grow.

Professor Matt Kemp says artificial placentas are still years away.

The outcome is still years away

Artificial placentas won't be available for at least 10 to 15 years.

The more they work on the technology, the more problems they find to solve.

They solved some cardiac-related problems, but new issues arose.

The circuits were too hard for the fetal heart to work with.

They solved that problem but found they need growth factors for the fetuses to grow normally.

The community is helping provide essential items to mothers and babies in need.

Saturday, 18 July 2026, at 3:48 pm

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