Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

As humanity moves from short-term space missions toward extended stays beyond Earth—driven by commercial ambitions for lunar bases and eventual Martian settlements—scientists are increasingly confronting how the conditions of space may affect human reproduction, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

A new study argues that the lack of clear evidence and shared standards for reproductive health beyond Earth has pushed the issue from an abstract possibility into what the authors describe as an “urgently practical” concern.

Rather than advocating for conception in space, the study’s nine authors—experts in reproductive medicine, aerospace health, and bioethics—aim to identify foreseeable risks and highlight gaps in research and governance that could become problematic as human activity in space expands, particularly if technological and commercial momentum outpaces ethical oversight.

“As human presence in space expands, reproductive health can no longer remain a policy blind spot,” said study co-author Fathi Karouia, a senior research scientist at NASA, in a statement.

“International collaboration is urgently needed to close critical knowledge gaps and establish ethical guidelines that protect both professional and private astronauts—and ultimately safeguard humanity as we move toward a sustained presence beyond Earth.”

IVF in space?

More than half a century ago, two breakthroughs reshaped ideas about what was biologically and physically possible: the first human landing on the Moon and the first successful fertilization of a human egg outside the body through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

“Now, more than fifty years later, we argue in this report that these once-separate revolutions are colliding in a practical and underexplored reality,” said Giles Palmer, the study’s lead author and a senior clinical embryologist at the International IVF Initiative.

“IVF technologies in space are no longer purely speculative,” Palmer added. “They represent a foreseeable extension of technologies that already exist.”

Over the same period, spaceflight has evolved from an elite, male-dominated endeavor tied to national prestige into a rapidly expanding frontier shaped by commercial ventures and international collaboration. Alongside career astronauts, private citizens are now flying on commercial missions, while space agencies and private companies are planning a sustained human presence beyond low Earth orbit.

At the same time, assisted reproductive technologies have become more advanced, automated, and widely accessible. Yet, the researchers note, fundamental biological questions about reproduction remain unanswered—especially in the context of long-duration space missions.

“As human activity shifts from short missions to sustained presence beyond Earth, reproduction moves from an abstract possibility to a practical concern,” Palmer said.

What scientists do know from limited laboratory experiments and astronaut data is that space presents a demanding environment for human biology. Exposure to cosmic radiation, altered gravity, disrupted circadian rhythms, psychological stress, and prolonged isolation all pose potential risks to reproductive function in both women and men.

Radiation is among the most serious concerns. Unlike on Earth, where the atmosphere and magnetic field provide substantial protection, astronauts are exposed to galactic cosmic rays and solar radiation. Reproductive tissues are particularly sensitive to DNA damage, and the effects of cumulative radiation exposure on male fertility during extended missions represent what the authors describe as a “critical knowledge gap.”

Currently, there are no widely accepted, industry-wide standards for managing reproductive health risks in space. The researchers highlight unresolved questions surrounding the prevention of unintended early pregnancy during missions, the fertility impacts of microgravity and radiation, and the ethical boundaries of any future reproduction-related research beyond Earth.

“If reproduction is ever to occur beyond Earth,” the study concludes, “it must do so with a clear commitment to safety, transparency, and ethical integrity.”

The research was published on February 3 in the journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online.

An added perspective

Some scientists note that discussions about reproduction in space extend beyond medicine and technology into fundamental questions about humanity’s future as a multiplanetary species. The possibility of children being conceived—or even born—beyond Earth would require rethinking concepts such as citizenship, human rights, and biological adaptation. In this sense, reproductive science may become one of the defining factors in determining whether space exploration remains a temporary human venture or marks the beginning of a truly off-world human civilization.