Reproduction in space, an environment hostile to human biology

[erronis]

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-reproduction-space-environment-hostile-human.html

As commercial spaceflight draws ever closer and time spent in space continues to extend, the question of reproductive health beyond the bounds of planet Earth is no longer theoretical but now "urgently practical," according to a new study published in the journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online.

"More than 50 years ago," explains clinical embryologist Giles Palmer from the International IVF Initiative Inc, "two scientific breakthroughs reshaped what was thought biologically and physically possible--the first moon landing and the first proof of human fertilization in vitro.

"Now, more than half a century later, we argue in this report that these once-separate revolutions are colliding in a practical and underexplored reality: space is becoming a workplace and a destination, while assisted reproductive technologies have become highly advanced, increasingly automated and widely accessible."

But despite these advances, there are still no widely accepted, industry-wide standards for managing reproductive health risks in space, including the risks of inadvertent early pregnancy during space travel, fertility impacts from radiation and microgravity, and the ethical boundaries around any future reproduction-related research.

. . .

[llmart]

1. I remember when cloning was first discovered...

and all the arguments and discussions about the ethics of it. I'm old enough to remember the Life magazine cover with the first "test tube baby" on it. (Maybe it was Look magazine, but I subscribed to both back then so I could be wrong.)

[erronis]

2. And Dolly, the sheep.

Those days almost seem quaint from this current point of view. Wonder how we'll look in 100 years?

[llmart]

5. Dolly the sheep was what came to mind also.

[Laffy Kat]

3. It's remarkable how we slowly but surely acclimate to new technologies.

I remember all of the ethic discussions around IVF and now it's common place and accepted (well, mostly).

[llmart]

4. I wouldn't have my granddaughter without IVF.

I can't believe how radical that seemed back when I was a young mother.