A new international study highlights that reproductive health in space is no longer a theoretical concern and should be treated as a pressing issue as human activity beyond Earth accelerates. With commercial spaceflight expanding, astronauts spending longer periods in orbit, and plans for Mars settlements advancing, experts say questions about fertility and pregnancy need urgent consideration.
Published in the peer-reviewed journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online, the report brings together specialists in reproductive medicine, aerospace science, and bioethics to stress that the rapid growth of human space activity is outpacing policies designed to protect reproductive health.
“More than 50 years ago, two scientific breakthroughs reshaped what was thought biologically and physically possible—the first Moon landing and the first proof of human fertilisation in vitro,” said clinical embryologist Giles Palmer from the International IVF Initiative. “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.”
The study outlines multiple risks associated with reproduction in space. Microgravity, cosmic radiation, disrupted circadian rhythms, pressure differences, and extreme temperatures are all known to interfere with normal reproductive processes. Animal studies suggest that short-term radiation exposure can disrupt menstrual cycles and increase cancer risk, while the effects of cumulative radiation on male fertility during long missions remain a “critical knowledge gap.”
Currently, no human has ever conceived or given birth in space. Pregnancy remains strictly prohibited for those travelling beyond Earth. Yet the report notes that advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including automated fertilisation and cryopreservation, may be adaptable to space conditions. “Developments in assisted reproductive technologies often arise from extreme or marginal conditions but quickly extend beyond them,” Palmer said. “ART is highly transferable because it addresses situations where reproduction is biologically possible yet structurally constrained by environment, health, timing, or social circumstance, constraints that already exist widely on Earth.”
The authors stress that ethical and policy questions cannot be ignored. Dr Fathi Karouia, a senior author and NASA research scientist, said, “As human presence in space expands, reproductive health can no longer remain a policy blind spot. 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.”
The report calls for coordinated international efforts to study the long-term effects of space on fertility, develop safety protocols, and create ethical frameworks for reproductive research in orbit. Experts warn that without these measures, future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond could expose astronauts to unforeseen biological and ethical risks.
