Have you ever wondered about the effects of space travel on the female reproduction? For most of us…probably not, but, that’s one of the questions researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center are trying to answer. KU scientists have partnered with NASA researchers in the first-ever examination of long-term space exposure on female reproductive physiology. A Spacex Rocket launched from the Kennedy Space Center earlier this month, includes an experiment from the KU Med Center. Astronauts on the International Space Station will help examine the effects of spaceflight and microgravity on female reproductive health.
The purpose of the study is to learn whether spaceflight, directly or indirectly, causes ovarian dysfunction that leads to infertility in an animal model using female mice. Scientists say the International Space Station is an effective environment for the study because the ISS resides in low-earth orbit and is protected from elevated levels of radiation.