Imagine one of the crews that discovers that you are pregnant halfway to Mars without the chance to return to earth for over a year. Since space agencies are planning several years of missions for the Red Planet, this scenario is not just science fiction, but a real way that scientists are now seriously studying. A new research paper examines what could happen if people do babies during interplanetarian trips, carry and deliver, which reveals both surprising challenges and unexpected opportunities.
Dr. Arun Holden from the University of Leeds has analyzed the complete pregnancy chain from the conception to the birth in the enemy environment of space. In his investigation, it is taken into account how cosmic radiation and microgravity would affect every level of human reproduction, from fertilization to the care of a newborn that swims in gravity in weightlessness.
Astronauts on the international space station only experience microgravity and thus show an example of weightlessness. Michael Foale can be seen in the foreground. (Credit: NASA)
The numbers are sobering. A return trip to Mars takes about three years, more than enough time for full pregnancy. In the case of small crews that are insulated for a long time, sexual activities and potential pregnancy become realistic considerations that mission planners cannot ignore. However, this option is outside the current mission plans, although they are biologically inevitable in the long space.
The biggest threat that Holden suggests comes from galactic cosmic rays, high -energy particles that bomb for the entire interplanetary flight spaceships. In contrast to earth, where our atmosphere and our magnetic field offer protection, spatial travelers are constantly exposed to this radiation. During the early pregnancy, embryonic cells can quickly share that a single cosmic radiation strike could be fatal to the developing embryo. The embryo is tiny and makes direct hits unlikely, but every influence would probably lead to miscarriage.
Left picture: The cosmic jet through a cloud chamber is scattered by a small angle in the medium metal plate and leaves the chamber. Real image: Cosmic beam myon loses considerable energy after the plate has been passed through, as is shown by the increased curvature of the trail in a magnetic field (loan: Jino John1996)
In the course of pregnancy, the risks change dramatically. As soon as the placenta forms and the fetus becomes larger, it shows a larger goal for cosmic radiation. A cosmic beam that hits the uterine muscle could trigger dangerous contractions and possibly lead to early jobs of medical help from any medical help.
The microgravity creates its own unique complications. While the conception of gravity in the zero could be physically uncomfortable, it would probably not be significantly impaired if the embryo implants remain pregnant. The real challenges come at birth and beyond. Everything floats in space, including body fluids, medical equipment and babies. The provision of a child becomes more complex if gravity does not position the baby or contains liquids during labor.
The care of a newborn in microgravity would be revolutionary. Feeding, diaper diapers and basic baby care rely on gravity on earth. Room babies would need completely new care protocols, specialized devices and constant tethering to prevent them from floating away.
Surprisingly, Holden suggests that pregnancy on board a well -designed spacecraft could actually be safer than at many earth places affected by war, natural disasters or extreme environments. Space vehicles offer controlled temperature, clean air and constructed security. In many challenging earth environments in which people successfully raise children, luxurious.
The interior of the spacecraft like the ISS can provide one of the cleanest environments to raise a child (loan: NASA)
Research introduces what Holden calls the “black swan hypothesis”, the idea that a successful pregnancy pregnancy could be impossible. This could only be refuted by a single successful birth during the interplanetary trips. Such an event would provide an unprecedented case study for human reproduction under extreme conditions.
The implications extend beyond space travel. Understanding how reproduction works under these extreme conditions could influence obstetrical care on earth, especially for pregnancies or situations with high risk in which medical interventions are limited.
When we stand on the threshold of becoming an interplanetary species, these questions are becoming increasingly urgent. The first generation of born people is closer than we think and brings both extraordinary challenges and remarkable opportunities to understand human resilience and adaptation.
Source: Spaceborne and Spaceborn: Physiological aspects of pregnancy and birth during the interplanetary flight
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