What do astronauts do on their period?
Sarah Duran
Updated on March 08, 2026
A combined oral contraceptive, or the pill, used continuously (without taking a week off to induce menstrual flow) is currently the best and safest choice for astronauts who prefer not to menstruate during missions, says Varsha Jain, a gynecologist and visiting professor at King's College London.
Do astronauts have their period?
It turns out that while most systems in the human body are heavily affected during spaceflight, the female menstrual cycle doesn't seem to change at all. “It can happen normally in space, and if women choose to do that, they can,” Jain said.Do female astronauts wear bras in space?
Women don't wear bras primarily for support, they're also worn as a thick layer of coverage so detailed outlines are not visible. Although the support portion may not be necessary in space, in a professional setting the extra layer of coverage may still be preferred by some.How do female astronauts have periods in space?
A combined oral contraceptive, or the pill, used continuously (without taking a week off to induce menstrual flow) is currently the best and safest choice for astronauts who prefer not to menstruate during missions, says Varsha Jain, a gynecologist and visiting professor at King's College London.Has a child been conceived in space?
If a child has ever been conceived in space, it was definitely off the clock. No-one has ever had sex in space, much less got themselves pregnant, according to both NASA and the Russian Space Agency. Spacecraft are crowded and cramped, with virtually no privacy.Space Periods Part 1: THE LOGISTICS | #AskAbby | Season 2 | Episode 2 | The Mars Generation
What happens if you bleed in space?
In space, blood can splatter even more than it usually does on Earth, unconstrained by gravity. Or it can pool into a kind of dome around a wound or incision, making it hard to see the actual trauma. (Fun fact: If you are bleeding more than 100 milliliters per minute, you are probably doomed.How do astronauts wipe their bum?
Today, astronauts at the International Space Station poop into a little plate-sized toilet hole, and a fan vacuum-sucks their excrement away. A separate funnel equipped with a fan suctions their pee away.Is it possible to give birth in space?
All of the fluids in our bodies are pulled downwards due to gravity, which is not possible in space. The individuals born there would develop bloated bodies and puffy faces. Since the heart doesn't have to work against gravity in space, it would atrophy and we would lose blood content, making us paler and weaker.Has anyone pregnant in space?
However, scientists don't know how safe sex in space and childbirth may be. NASA officials have long maintained that there has never been any hanky-panky between the space agency's astronauts on the International Space Station or during space shuttle missions, which ended in 2011.What would happen if a baby was born underwater?
Baby can drown or even die if born in the waterThe entry of water into the baby's lungs can be avoided by lifting the baby out to the surface of the water as soon as possible. Babies by themselves will not breathe until exposed to air.