“But – Claude, you biologist johhnies should have worked out something better than this. Women shouldn’t have to go through with this.”
“Such as?”
“How should I know? Ectogenesis, maybe.”
“We could practice ectogenesis,” Mordan answered imperturbably, “if we wished. It has been done. But it would be a mistake.”
“Egg’s sake – why?”
“Contra-survival in nature. The race would be dependent on complex mechanical assistance to reproduce. The time might come when it wasn’t available. Surivior types are types that survive in difficult times as well as easy times. An ectogenetic race couldn’t cope with really hard, primitive conditions. But ectogenesis isn’t new – it’s been in use for millions of years.”
“No, I suppose it – huh? How long did you say?”
“Millions of years. What is egg-laying but ectogenesis? It’s not efficient; it risks the infant zygotes too hazardously. The great auk and the dodo might still be alive today, if they had not been ectogenetic. No, Felix, we mammals have a better method.”
“That’s alright for you to say,” Felix replied glumly. “It’s not your wife that’s concerned.”
…...................................................- Beyond This Horizon, chapter 14.
@moderators This is my answer.