✍️Research Review: Human development and reproduction in space—a European Perspective🤰

🌐Link to the paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41526-023-00272-5....

This paper is a review of the first reproductive and developmental systems Science Community White Paper, supported by the European Space Agency (ESA). It discusses the need for research into the effects of space travel on the male and female reproductive systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) reproductive hormone axis, and considerations for conception, gestation, and birth.

The paper also acknowledges the challenges of providing multidisciplinary care for pregnant women in the space environment and the potential benefits of developing a telemedicine model of care. Additionally, it highlights the impact of space travel on the reserve of primordial follicles in females and the potential for prolonged exposure to radiation to accelerate the decline of the follicular pool and result in premature ovarian failure. Finally, the paper draws parallels between the effects of space travel on human physiology and how this may impact society as a whole on Earth.

The practical implications of this paper are that it provides a roadmap for understanding the implications of space travel on the male and female reproductive systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) reproductive hormone axis, and considerations for conception, gestation, and birth. It also highlights the need for a multidisciplinary team to support pregnancy and birth in space. The findings of this paper can help in developing strategies to mitigate the negative effects of space travel on human reproduction and development, which can be useful for future space missions.

Finally, as a conclusion, the key findings of the paper are:

🟣Sex and gender have implications on all physiological systems, including human development and reproduction in space.

🟣The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) reproductive hormone axis is affected by space travel, which may impact conception, gestation, and birth.

🟣There is a need for further research in this area to better understand the effects of space travel on human reproduction and development.

🟣Multidisciplinary care in a remote/telemedicine format for pregnant women in space is a challenge that needs to be addressed.

🟣The implications of space travel on human reproduction and development may impact society as a whole on Earth.

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