Comment by enraged_camel
7 years ago
Spending extended amounts of time in zero gravity has profound effects on the human body, most of them negative. Pregnancy is already very tough, and we know literally nothing about the additional challenges associated with it (and with childbirth) in a zero G environment, or on another planet.
From this perspective, there may be some merit to the parent poster's argument that human "factories" may be less risky for everyone involved, since it might be easier to control the conditions.
We’ve sent pregnant rats into space. We know a lot about zero g rat babies and moms. Long term more serious issues are space radiation effects. Nobody has any idea how to practically solve that issue.
>>We’ve sent pregnant rats into space.
Which is very, very different than sending pregnant humans into space.
>>Long term more serious issues are space radiation effects.
Not just that. Muscular degeneration is a real problem, especially (in this case) for humans who have to carry a child inside them.