To overcome the disadvantages of the conventional IVF method which involves moving or washing eggs or embryos with culture fluid, that may cause changes in temperature and acidity leading to problems, resulting in failed treatment cycles, scientists are a miniature womb-on-a-chip which can churn out early-stage embryos after being fed with sperm and eggs. Researchers from Tokyo manufacturing these pinhead-sized embryos that can be planted into a woman's womb or can be frozen, are hoping the device will boost the success rate of in-vitro fertilization. Researchers claim that this chip which is just two millimeters across in can fertilize upto 20 eggs at a time acts like an automated artificial womb, embryos are grown until they are ready for implantation. Endometrial cells, which line real wombs, are also grown in the womb chip so that the chemicals they produce can nourish the embryos.

Experts said the womb chip could also be used for growing genetically modified animals, stem cells, or cloned embryos and have permission to test the device with human embryos and plans to do so later this year.
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