Do You Get Periods in Space? How Astronauts Deal with Menstruation.

Periods in Space – High above the earth, Space is a place with microgravity. Humans have been doing numerous space explorations for so long. With increasing curiosities about the routine lifestyles of space travellers, one important aspect is to look into the biological processes their bodies go through, especially for Women space travellers. (periods in space)

Mensuration is one such biological process which is challenging for women, involving a lot of psychological and emotional dimensions as well. Understanding menstruation on earth can be simpler, but have you ever wondered how menstruation is managed in space?

With these scientific advancements and discoveries, understanding menstruation in microgravity is becoming increasingly important.

Brief History of periods in space

Years ago, women were not considered apt for travelling in space, in fact they were refused to go to space because of the concerns around their body’s adaptability in space,especially while they are on their menstrual cycles.

Similar concerns were also there, around health conditions at microgravity. They believed that, in space the risk of “retrograde menstruation” might increase, causing the menstrual blood to flow backward into the abdomen instead of out of the body.

Back in 1963, Valentina Tereshkova, Soviet Cosmonaut, was the first woman to fly solo to space in a three day space program.

Since then more than sixty women have traveled to space and the number is ever increasing. But the question about menstruation in space remained intact as topic of discussion.

NASA was compelled to take into account the necessity for tampons and sanitary napkins in space after Sally Ride became the first American woman to go to space in 1983.

When engineers asked her how many tampons she would need for her one-week travel, they surprisingly estimated that she would require 100.

Is menstruation really different in space?

While many functions of the human body can be affected by microgravity, testimonials from female astronauts have not reported much difference in menstruation in space. [1]

Rhea Seddon, one of the first six female astronauts at US NASA, while addressing this question in an interview, said “Consider it a non-problem until it becomes a problem.” Signifying the importance of practicality in space explorations.

Gynecologist and researcher, Varsha Jain, Kings College London told CNN, ‘‘It [period] can happen normally in space, and if women choose to do that, they can.” [2]

Authors at Kings College of London have also estimated that approximately 1100 pills will be needed for longer space missions, like to Mars and beyond. [3]

This can be a huge load for the spacecraft to handle and would need systems for disposal. So they talked about Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) such as IUDs and subdermal (beneath-the-skin) implants as a safer and more reliable method. But there isn’t much study and trials being made to evaluate its adaptability since it is not extensively used by astronauts.

Dr. Varsha also mentioned the benefit of taking contraceptive pills by female astronauts. The bone material density starts reducing at higher altitudes, contraceptive pills (having estrogen as a main component) can actually help in maintaining bone density.

However further research is needed to understand the impact thoroughly.

So, mensuration happens as it is, as it happens on earth. However, due to inconveniences while practicing and during spaceflight, women might choose to keep their periods on hold and continuously use contraceptives, which is completely fine.

A note from Kamarth – Periods in Space

Menstruation in any sphere of life is integral to women’s lives, so in Space. There is no difference in menstruation on Earth or in space.

Women astronauts have demonstrated that their growth and potential may be unhindered by menstruation.

To control their periods while on a flight, female astronauts can take contraceptive pills, IUDs, sanitary napkins, tampons, etc., just like they would on Earth.

However, a thorough investigation into menstruation and reproductive health in space is required.

Some Additional Doubts

Question: Is menstruation different in space and on earth?
Answer: No, menstruation is a biological process that is the same irrespective of the physical environment women are in.

Question: What menstrual products do astronauts use in space?
Answer: Female astronauts use products like sanitary napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups, depending on personal choice.

Question: Do periods affect performance during space missions?
Answer: There’s no evidence that states that menstruation negatively affects the performances of female astronauts.

Question: Why do female astronauts suppress menstruation during spaceflights?
Answer: Female astronauts do it to avoid inconvenience and requirements for waste disposal.

Question: How is hygiene managed during menstruation in space?
Answer: Astronauts use limited available resources such as water or cleaning wipes to maintain hygiene in the space environment.

References
[1]https://www.instagram.com/p/CpPZ-dvSILM/?igsh=MXRpem9nZDN1N3J6OA==
[2]https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/11/health/space-gynecology-periods-in-microgravity/index.html
[3]https://www.kcl.ac.uk/archive/news/kings/newsrecords/2016/04%20april/menstruation-in-spaceflight-options-for-astronauts
[4]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10042989/
[5]https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/09/17/441160250/what-happens-when-you-get-your-period-in-space

Do You Get Periods in Space? How Astronauts Deal with Menstruation.

Table of Contents

Brief History of periods in space

Is menstruation really different in space?

A note from Kamarth – Periods in Space

Some Additional Doubts

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