While science has yet to determine whether humanity’s first “space-born” baby is possible, a Turkish physician is helping lay the groundwork for answering that question.
Doctor Begüm Mathyk, a faculty member in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of South Florida and chair of NASA’s OSDR Women’s Reproductive Analysis Working Group, is conducting research aimed at safeguarding the health of female astronauts during future space missions, according to a report by daily Türkiye. Her work also explores the largely uncharted field of human reproduction beyond Earth.
Asked whether future generations might one day include babies born in space, Mathyk said science has not yet reached a definitive answer.
“Today, there is no clear answer to that question,” she said. “We have very limited knowledge about pregnancy, fetal development and childbirth in space. There are fish species that have successfully reproduced in space, but human biology is far more complex.”
“Over the coming years, scientific studies will help us better understand these questions,” she said. “In the long term, the idea of humans being born in space appears theoretically possible, but there are still many scientific questions that remain unanswered.”
As international space agencies and private companies increasingly focus on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, understanding how spaceflight affects reproductive health has become a growing scientific priority. Dr. Mathyk is among a small group of researchers leading efforts to address these challenges through studies supported by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This year, she is expected to travel to Türkiye as a speaker at major space conferences being held for the first time in the country. Alongside her ongoing research collaborations, she has already achieved a milestone that has drawn international attention.
Mathyk became the first physician in the world to perform a gynecological ultrasound examination in a simulated weightless space analogue environment. The groundbreaking study, later published in the official journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is regarded as a significant step toward enabling diagnostic and treatment procedures during future long-duration space missions.
Her research has also extended to the biological effects of spaceflight on astronauts. During the Inspiration4 mission — the world’s first all-civilian orbital spaceflight — Mathyk participated in studies examining how space travel affects women and men differently. The research mapped changes in hormone levels and immune system responses, providing valuable insights into the physiological impact of spaceflight.
She is also preparing to study the health of an upcoming all-female astronaut crew, analyzing medical data before and after their mission in an effort to better understand how women’s bodies adapt to the extreme conditions of space.
