Can humans give birth in space? Yes, no, maybe

As commercial spaceflight expands and missions grow longer, reproductive health beyond Earth is shifting from a theoretical concern to a pressing practical issue, warns a new international study.

Clinical embryologist Giles Palmer of the International IVF Initiative Inc highlights how the 1969 Moon landing and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) breakthroughs are now converging.

Space has evolved from an exploration outpost to a routine workplace, while Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) like automated IVF and cryopreservation have become advanced and accessible.

Yet, no industry-wide standards exist for managing space-related reproductive risks, from radiation-induced fertility loss to accidental pregnancies during travel.

The report, published in Reproductive Biomedicine Online by nine experts in reproductive health, aerospace medicine, and bioethics, proposes a collaborative framework, not to enable space births, but to address gaps before harm occurs.

SPACE IS HOSTILE TO REPRODUCTION

Space's microgravity, cosmic radiation, and circadian disruptions threaten reproduction.

Animal studies show short-term radiation disrupts female cycles and raises cancer risks, but human data from long missions remains scarce, especially for male fertility, a "critical knowledge gap."

Shuttle-era female astronauts showed Earth-comparable post-mission pregnancies, yet longer stays on the ISS and future Mars trips demand fresh evidence for diagnostics and prevention.

Modern assisted reproductive technologies could adapt to space: gamete freezing, embryo culture, and genetic screening are portable and automated, suiting operational constraints.

Gamete freezing preserves eggs or sperm for future use, embryo culture involves growing fertilised embryos in controlled lab conditions, and genetic screening tests reproductive cells or embryos for inherited diseases or abnormalities.

Palmer notes these technologies thrive in "extreme conditions," mirroring earthly challenges like delayed parenthood. Pregnancy disqualifies spaceflight, and hormonal suppression manages menstruation, but inadvertent conceptions or radiation effects loom as private astronauts proliferate.

BIG POLICY GAPS REMAIN ABOUT SPACE BIRTHS

Key dilemmas include disclosure protocols, genetic screening ethics, and liability for mission-induced infertility. As space research probes reproduction, clear guidelines lag.

The study urges proactive governance: IVF in orbit is "foreseeable," not speculative, given maturing tech. Delaying risks "governance denied," as innovations slip into practice incrementally.

"Reproductive health can no longer remain a policy blind spot," asserts senior author Dr. Fathi Karouia of NASA. International collaboration must fill knowledge voids and protect astronauts, professional and tourist alike, as humanity eyes sustained off-world presence.

This report spotlights the need for evidence-based strategies, ensuring space's promise doesn't compromise our species' future.