Mothers reborn: The surprising benefits of lifelike dolls

In Poland, where fertility rates are among the lowest in the world, a group of women are taking control and becoming mothers to fake babies.

Reborn dolls are hyper-realistic dummies, treated like real children, given a birthing ceremony and even a heartbeat.

Yet they serve a deeper purpose, being used as therapeutic aids to help women through infertility, miscarriage and loss of a child, as well as anxiety and depression.

For many, the dolls are a way to hit reset on the gender imbalance that often goes hand in hand with motherhood.

Polish artist Barbara Smolińska, who creates the dolls, features on this year's BBC 100 Women list.

Find out who else is on the BBC 100 Women list, and follow the season of stories on women around the world.

Produced and filmed by Claire Tailyour-Hayes.