Method and apparatus for extracorporeal support of premature fetus

An extracorporeal system to support a human premature fetus in a synthetic amniotic liquid and maintain the fetus during maturation, the extracorporeal system comprising:

• a fetal chamber for positioning and holding the premature fetus, wherein the fetal chamber has a lower perimeter forming a wall structure capable of holding a volume of synthetic amniotic liquid surrounding the premature fetus, wherein the fetal chamber can be enclosed to provide an enclosed environment, and wherein the wall structure is a flexible wall such that an interior volume defined by the fetal chamber is adjustable;
• a synthetic amniotic liquid circuit configured to provide fresh synthetic amniotic liquid to the fetal chamber such that the fresh synthetic amniotic liquid surrounds the premature fetus and to remove contaminated amniotic liquid from the fetal chamber, the synthetic amniotic liquid circuit having an inlet line connected to a liquid inlet port of the fetal chamber for transporting fresh synthetic amniotic liquid into the fetal chamber and an outlet line connected to a liquid outlet port of the fetal chamber for removing a quantity of synthetic amniotic liquid from the fetal chamber;
• means for heating the synthetic amniotic liquid within the fetal chamber to a temperature corresponding to a temperature of amniotic fluid in utero;
• a turbidity sensor associated with the fetal chamber to monitor the synthetic amniotic liquid surrounding the premature fetus within the fetal chamber for a presence of stool from the human premature fetus wherein the presence of stool in the synthetic amniotic liquid thereby creates a contaminated synthetic amniotic liquid within the fetal chamber;
• and
• a central controller comprising a computer and a display, wherein the central controller is configured to receive signals from the turbidity sensor reflecting that there is contaminated synthetic amniotic liquid within the fetal chamber.