Journal Suggests Space Menstruation Options for Astronauts

Space menstruation can now be prevented. This recent discovery is according to a published journal Microgravity that explores the options for female astronauts.

Menstruation among female astronauts while on a space mission may be prevented based on the paper written by the authors at Baylor College of Medicine and King's College of London.  The paper reveals the study being made on contraceptive devices that are used by the aviation and military personnel. Furthermore, it also seeks for additional research regarding impact of hormone therapy on bone mineral loss in space.

Space menstruation is usually prevented by taking the combined oral contraceptive or COC for long space missions. The three-year period of exploration class mission is expected to need an approximate amount of 1,100 pills, with packaging that adds disposal and mass requirements for the flight, according to Science Newsline.

The long acting reversible contraceptives or LARCs, like the IUDs and the subdermal implants are reported to be safe methods, although not yet been widely used by astronauts. The choice for  a LARC could eliminate the concerns on packaging, upmass, stability and waste, due to the fact that the contraceptive device may be inserted before the mission and the replacement is not needed in-flight.  

Another concern during spaceflight is the impact of hormone therapy on bone mineral density or BMD, wherein the astronauts lose a bone at a higher speed compared on Earth. Previous researches have discovered a decline in BMD with some contraceptive options, such as the progestin only injection or DMPA, and the decline is temporary while on earth, because of irreversible space flight, which is linked to the choices of treatment and bone changes that can affect BMD.  

However, the paper did not establish any findings if the continuous taking of the pill could help in protecting against the bone mineral loss. That being said, the authors demand for additional research in order to understand the effect of the COC with microgravity on the bone mass density in women.

Space menstruation suppression, if needed, is possible according to the paper, if the astronauts are given with accurate information that will help in making informed decisions, NY Times reported.