Background
New reproductive science and technologies are rapidly emerging. They allow us to synthesise and transfer genetic material (gene-editing), and predictively dose oxygen concentrations to an external lung through the use of artificial intelligence. Advances in science and technology have even allowed premature babies of just 21 weeks old to survive. Reproductive technologies like artificial wombs, gene-edited embryos, and artificial sperm and ovaries, therefore, may be closer to reality than we dare to think.   

Adopting these technologies will change the way we have babies and transform our understanding of sexuality, gender, relationships, and family. To help us make better decisions about what we want our futures to look like, Next Nature Network (under the creative leadership of Hendrik-Jan Grievink) designed and built a thought-provoking futurised fertility clinic, Reprodutopia.

Objectives
Reprodutopia aimed to create a stimulating and playful environment where citizens can think along with reproductive science and technology, and researchers can learn from citizens’ perspectives. That way, reproductive technologies are developed to meet the needs of society. 

Approach
A mobile exposition of a future reproductive clinic and a working prototype of an artificial womb were created. Athena researchers posed as reproductive consultants at the Reprodutopia exhibitions during Dutch Design Week (2018) in Eindhoven and droog gallery in Amsterdam. They presented hopeful and dreamy or dark and uncanny hypothetical reproductive technologies to visitors, who played the role of clients. Researchers then observed as visitors processed the implications of these futuristic technologies, and listened as they transformed their opinions into words. By engaging society in the technology debate in this playful way, researchers explored the central question: How do we want technology to shape our reproductive future?

Lessons and outcomes
Individuals see reproductive science as a ‘double-edged sword’ that can solve all sorts of challenges, but also create unforeseen and unwanted side effects. For example, researchers found that many women experienced a sense of loss at the exhibition. The women felt privileged to feel their babies growing inside their own body and would be sad to have missed that experience.

By actively learning from citizens’ perspectives and understanding these nuanced and multifaceted views, future reproductive technologies can be designed and developed in a way that meets the needs of society.