Sex and Speculation: A Feminist Bioethics Critique of Ectogenesis and its Representation in Science Fiction

Ectogenesis, the use of artificial wombs to gestate offspring, represents a challenge to many assumptions about the role of women in human reproduction. As one of the primary spaces in which we imagine possible futures, the representation of ectogenesis in science fiction provides a source of discussion for bioethicists considering the ethical ramifications of this future technology. This thesis considers the potential benefits and pitfalls of engaging with science-fictional visions of the future of reproduction, arguing there is an over-reliance on negative representation of ectogenesis present in the science fiction genre and the bioethics scholarship that engages with it.