How do women astronauts manage their periods during space missions?

Menstruation or monthly periods often pose challenges for women while working or indulging in regular activities. Besides the physical discomfort, women face difficulties due to a lack of availability of sanitary napkins or clean washrooms. Moreover, women require rest during periods to relax physically and mentally. Although women have been managing periods on earth quite well, have you ever wondered how women astronauts manage menstruation during space missions?

Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to travel to space in 1963. Ninety-nine women astronauts have followed her path until now and visited the International Space Station for various missions. From the beginning, menstruation in space has been a major topic of discussion among the scientific community. However, menstruation has never hindered women from becoming astronauts. There are many ways to suppress menstruation during space missions or space flights temporarily. Sanitation, an increase in the weight of the payload and limited water sources are some of the reasons why most female astronauts suppress menstruation during space missions. Female astronauts use hormonal contraceptives that contain oestrogen to suppress periods in space.

However, those who choose to bleed will get periods as usual in space. The standard sanitary napkins and other hygiene products that are commonly used on Earth could be used in space, too. Tampons, sanitary pads and menstrual cups are mostly used during space missions as they are easy to dispose of. Special waste bins have been arranged at the space station for disposing of such hygiene products.

Compared to earth, handling sanitation in space is quite challenging. The waste disposal technology in space isn’t designed to handle menstrual blood. As water sources are limited, water which is used for certain purposes is recycled for drinking. So, wet wipes and body wipes are used during menstruation for hygienic purposes in space.

Extensive research is being done about handling menstruation in space in the modern age, especially when the space agencies are planning long-term space missions, including flights to Mars. These researches focus on hygiene while offering a comfortable period for female astronauts in space. However, now, menstruation do not stop female astronauts from being part of space missions. With efficient and meticulous planning, female astronauts, too, could perform their mission as effectively as their male counterparts.