Artificial womb technology—often referred to as ectogenesis—originated as a scientific idea in the early 20th century, proposed by biologists and philosophers imagining a future where gestation could occur outside the human body. Early experiments in the 1950s and 1960s focused on sustaining premature animals in controlled fluid environments, laying groundwork for neonatal intensive care units. The modern push toward functional artificial wombs accelerated in the 1990s and 2000s with advances in bioengineering, incubators, and life-support systems capable of mimicking some aspects of gestation. A major breakthrough came in 2017 when researchers successfully kept extremely premature lamb fetuses alive in a “biobag,” a system that simulated womb conditions through fluid circulation and umbilical-cord support. Since then, research has expanded in fields such as developmental biology, neonatology, and reproductive technology, driven by goals of improving outcomes for premature infants and reducing maternal health risks. The terminology surrounding the topic—ectogenesis, external gestation, artificial placenta—reflects both its scientific complexity and ethical weight. Today, the discussion exists at the crossroads of reproductive rights, medical innovation, and societal definitions of parenthood, shaped by a century of evolving ideas about how far technology should intervene in the process of human development.