Have we ever think about it , what if the the pregnant lady went to space and deliver baby there will he grow normal as like on earth ? will he be different ? or if aliens were in space they grow and develop there how will they going to look like ?
We see so many movies like Star wars, character in those more looks weird but there are human character they looks exactly like us at one time we believe in the possibility ,but question is is it really possible ? what if in future we decided to colonized in space how our life is going to be? are we able to produce offspring?
Well my friends im going to change your view permanently , have you ever thought why we looks like the way we looks like ?
The reason why we look like the way we look like its multifactorial , for example genetics , environment , Nutrition ,and gravity in this article we are going to analyse the effect of zero gravity on development and pregnancy.
Pregnancy is complex process from the day of fertilization till 40 week baby grow inside the mother and any physiological change in the mother will directly or indirectly affect the baby , to understand this lets see what is the effect of space on the human being.
We see so many movies like Star wars, character in those more looks weird but there are human character they looks exactly like us at one time we believe in the possibility ,but question is is it really possible ? what if in future we decided to colonized in space how our life is going to be? are we able to produce offspring?
Well my friends im going to change your view permanently , have you ever thought why we looks like the way we looks like ?
The reason why we look like the way we look like its multifactorial , for example genetics , environment , Nutrition ,and gravity in this article we are going to analyse the effect of zero gravity on development and pregnancy.
Pregnancy is complex process from the day of fertilization till 40 week baby grow inside the mother and any physiological change in the mother will directly or indirectly affect the baby , to understand this lets see what is the effect of space on the human being.
SPACE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
- Acceleration
- Barometric Pressure
- Microgravity
- Radiation
- Noise
- Vibration
- Temperature &
- Humidity
- Cabin Air
- Regolith (lunar)
- Social pressures
- Space
EFFECT OF SPACE ON HUMAN BODY
- Cardiovascular Alterations
- Fluid Shifts
- Hypoxia
- Disequilibrium
- Space Motion Sickness
- Headache
- Decreased urine output
- Increased calcium
- excretion (kidney stones)
- Bone & Muscle Loss
- Back Pain
- Cancer
- Reduced physical & emotional comfort
- Reduced Clinical Capabilities
- Human Behavior and Performance Changes
REDISTRIBUTION OF BODY FLUID
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
NOW CONSIDER THIS SCENARIO
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR EMBRYO TO GROW IN SPACE?
One study was conducted in Japan in 2009 on Detrimental Effects of Microgravity on Mouse, and they found as ,
Changes in the gravitational field have significant effects on the development of plants and animals . Therefore, the potential effect of a microgravity (mG) environment on reproduction has been a major biological theme in the age of space exploration. So far, several experiments on reproduction in such environments have been reported using sea urchins, fish, amphibians and birds, and the fertilization rates were similar to those found in controls at normal gravity .
However, unlike the other taxa studied to date, mammalian reproduction is complicated and highly specialized. Oocytes do not have enough resources to support full term development, so after fertilization, the embryo needs to implant in the uterus and to be supplied from the mother via the placenta. Studies on rats have shown that mG affected reproduction: there were decreased total sperm numbers , increases in sperm abnormalities and reduced testicular weights during space flight .
In the STS-80 space shuttle mission, mouse 2-cell embryos were collected on the ground, launched into space and cultured for four days in mG. The control embryos on Earth
developed to normal blastocysts, but in the space flight group, none of the embryos showed any sign of development, and all degenerated . A more reliable experiment was done on the
Cosmos 1129 mission in 1979, when mature male and female rats were sent into orbit and then allowed to intermingle in a common breeding chamber . However, none of the females gave birth although post flight examinations revealed that ovulation had occurred. Two of the females were reported to have achieved pregnancy, but the embryos appear to have been resorbed.
Although this experiment did not examine whether fertilization or preimplantation development occurred normally, this raised the important question of whether mammalian reproduction is indeed possible in space. However, further such experiments have not
been performed so far because of technical difficulties in using live animals. Mammalian reproduction is very sensitive to environmental factors.
Changes in the gravitational field have significant effects on the development of plants and animals . Therefore, the potential effect of a microgravity (mG) environment on reproduction has been a major biological theme in the age of space exploration. So far, several experiments on reproduction in such environments have been reported using sea urchins, fish, amphibians and birds, and the fertilization rates were similar to those found in controls at normal gravity .
However, unlike the other taxa studied to date, mammalian reproduction is complicated and highly specialized. Oocytes do not have enough resources to support full term development, so after fertilization, the embryo needs to implant in the uterus and to be supplied from the mother via the placenta. Studies on rats have shown that mG affected reproduction: there were decreased total sperm numbers , increases in sperm abnormalities and reduced testicular weights during space flight .
In the STS-80 space shuttle mission, mouse 2-cell embryos were collected on the ground, launched into space and cultured for four days in mG. The control embryos on Earth
developed to normal blastocysts, but in the space flight group, none of the embryos showed any sign of development, and all degenerated . A more reliable experiment was done on the
Cosmos 1129 mission in 1979, when mature male and female rats were sent into orbit and then allowed to intermingle in a common breeding chamber . However, none of the females gave birth although post flight examinations revealed that ovulation had occurred. Two of the females were reported to have achieved pregnancy, but the embryos appear to have been resorbed.
Although this experiment did not examine whether fertilization or preimplantation development occurred normally, this raised the important question of whether mammalian reproduction is indeed possible in space. However, further such experiments have not
been performed so far because of technical difficulties in using live animals. Mammalian reproduction is very sensitive to environmental factors.
So by analysis this we can say that embryo will not grow or develop and pregnancy will fail.
What if embryo grows ? what will be outcome?
During the space travel due to acceleration ,excessive pressure will increase the risk of abortion . exposure to radiation significantly increases the risk of baby malformation , mutations, cancers.
As we learn before in space total blood volume decrease this will cause decrease blood to fetus and if he developed in utero he will have growth retardation but according to physiology of pregnancy the total blood volume increase by 30-40% so if we consider this it is likely possible that fetus will receive adequate blood supply and overcome growth retardation.
As there is no gravity fluid inside the body will try to moves towards the center of body that is more towards the head will give rise to puffiness of the face and may be swelling on upper limb.
As head is near to heart so heart don't have to work hard to supply blood to the head that will cause increase pressure and increase blood supply and increase stress on bones of head and upper body parts this will increase the size of head and the upper limb,relatively lower limb receive less blood supply and less stress ,stress is important this what makes bone grow so this will cause relatively short legs,thin easily breakable, the same principle is applied to vertebrae it needs the pull and push of gravity to grow normally ,so at zero gravity vertebrae grow weak in addition vertebra experience the stress of growing spinal cord so finally vertebrae grow thin and weak .
We also learn that there going to be calcium deficiency in space that will leads to calcium deficiency in baby but this can be overcome with adequate nutritional support, but if calcium deficiency occurs baby will not have bowing of leg or widening of wrist as this all related to gravity.
Muscle also work on the same principle if stress and gravity if there is no much activity there will be disuse atrophy of muscle this is especially applicable to leg as its main purpose is to carry the weight and mobility on earth gravity . with compare to that hand will probably grow normal as baby use it as on earth.
Heart will be weaker as compare to earth as it will be able to pump blood easily.
Because of distribution of fluid more towards head he will as spherical head ,rounded eyes because of equal distribution of fluid and similar stress through out the development process.
Vestibular apparatus works on the principle gravity but in space this will get confused and present as vomiting ,if baby grow in similar environment then his vestibular function will be poor and when come on earth he will have difficulty finding the direction,balancing.
In term if development of baby gravity plays important role like for crawling ,standing ,walking so if baby grow in space he will never learn to walk and when bring back to earth he will not be able to walk.
His social and language milestone will not be affected but if there is no environment no air sound waves will not travel so baby will never able to learn to hear and to speak unless special equipment utilized/constructed.
So , in the summery we conclude that for human whose body structure and physiology is developed according to earth gravity will face difficulty in surviving and multiplying on space , unless technology advances and find out solution for successful method of reproduction and development embryo in space, unless we start living in space for significantly very long time will leads to evolution in human that will unable us to colonized in space.
As we learn before in space total blood volume decrease this will cause decrease blood to fetus and if he developed in utero he will have growth retardation but according to physiology of pregnancy the total blood volume increase by 30-40% so if we consider this it is likely possible that fetus will receive adequate blood supply and overcome growth retardation.
As there is no gravity fluid inside the body will try to moves towards the center of body that is more towards the head will give rise to puffiness of the face and may be swelling on upper limb.
As head is near to heart so heart don't have to work hard to supply blood to the head that will cause increase pressure and increase blood supply and increase stress on bones of head and upper body parts this will increase the size of head and the upper limb,relatively lower limb receive less blood supply and less stress ,stress is important this what makes bone grow so this will cause relatively short legs,thin easily breakable, the same principle is applied to vertebrae it needs the pull and push of gravity to grow normally ,so at zero gravity vertebrae grow weak in addition vertebra experience the stress of growing spinal cord so finally vertebrae grow thin and weak .
We also learn that there going to be calcium deficiency in space that will leads to calcium deficiency in baby but this can be overcome with adequate nutritional support, but if calcium deficiency occurs baby will not have bowing of leg or widening of wrist as this all related to gravity.
Muscle also work on the same principle if stress and gravity if there is no much activity there will be disuse atrophy of muscle this is especially applicable to leg as its main purpose is to carry the weight and mobility on earth gravity . with compare to that hand will probably grow normal as baby use it as on earth.
Heart will be weaker as compare to earth as it will be able to pump blood easily.
Because of distribution of fluid more towards head he will as spherical head ,rounded eyes because of equal distribution of fluid and similar stress through out the development process.
Vestibular apparatus works on the principle gravity but in space this will get confused and present as vomiting ,if baby grow in similar environment then his vestibular function will be poor and when come on earth he will have difficulty finding the direction,balancing.
In term if development of baby gravity plays important role like for crawling ,standing ,walking so if baby grow in space he will never learn to walk and when bring back to earth he will not be able to walk.
His social and language milestone will not be affected but if there is no environment no air sound waves will not travel so baby will never able to learn to hear and to speak unless special equipment utilized/constructed.
So , in the summery we conclude that for human whose body structure and physiology is developed according to earth gravity will face difficulty in surviving and multiplying on space , unless technology advances and find out solution for successful method of reproduction and development embryo in space, unless we start living in space for significantly very long time will leads to evolution in human that will unable us to colonized in space.
Thank you :)
Dr.Sukesh Upare
Dr.Sukesh Upare