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A recent study has found that both males and females have their individual flaws when it comes to space travel. 

The study looked at reports for the 534 astronauts - 477 men and 57 women - that had been to space up until June 2013.

And while women were less likely to suffer a loss of hearing or vision, it was found that men had an overall greater tolerance for spaceflight in a number of categories.

A study by Nasa and and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) looked at the role of gender in spaceflight. They looked at records of more than 500 astronauts up to June 2013 and presented their findings in the Journal of Women's Health. Illustrated are some of the findings (click for a larger view)

The report, published in the Journal of Women's Health, was carried out by Nasa and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI).

They assembled six workgroups to investigate and summarise human spaceflight data.

They focused on cardiovascular, immunological, sensorimotor, musculoskeletal, reproductive and behavioral implications for men and women who had travelled to space.

In the study, it was found that women were less likely to suffer a loss of quality of vision owing to space travel, and men were also more likely to suffer more hearing problems.

However women were found to have a worse orthostatic intolerance - which is the inability to stand without fainting - upon returning to Earth.

Women also had a higher heart rate in stressful situations and were more susceptible to radiation-induced cancer, while Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) were more common in female astronauts than males.

There were no noticeable differences in behavioural responses to men and women in spaceflight, while other factors such as the effectiveness of immune systems in space required further data for a meaningful conclusion to be drawn.

Ultimately, at the moment men seem to have fewer problems than women in travelling to space - but the researchers stress more data is needed, especially for female astronauts.

Visual Impairment Intracranial Pressure (VIIP) syndrome was identified in 2005, and it is currently Nasa's leading spaceflight-related health risk. It was found to be more predominant among men than women in space. Here, Nasa astronaut Karen Nyberg uses a fundoscope to image her eye while in orbit

The reason for the study is that the health and safety considerations for astronauts will grow more and more difficult as Nasa and other agencies attempt longer-duration spaceflights.

For example, the ISS partners will soon begin year-long stays for crews on the space station, as opposed to the six-month missions that currently take place.

With that in mind, Nasa is looking to develop personalised medicine for astronauts who could spend years working away from planet Earth.

One of the key considerations in creating this medicine will be the gender of the astronaut in question.

Nasa is taking strides to redress the imbalance of the number of men and women that have been to space. For example, the 2013 astronaut candidate class, shown here in front of an Orion crew capsule mockup, comprises four women and four men

On Earth, of course, gender plays a huge role in deciding what treatment to give to a particular person, and similarly Nasa wants to know the implications of gender on spaceflight.

'Fortunately, we have the International Space Station,' said Dr. Marshall Porterfield, Director of Space Life and Physical Sciences Research at Nasa.

'[The] station provides us with years of biological data on male and female astronauts, and many of them continue to participate in ground-based studies to evaluate the lasting effects of spaceflight.'

However, one issue with the study was that a vastly greater number of men have been to space than women - 477 compared to just 57.

Nasa is seeking to redress that balance, with their latest crew selection being four women and four men, but it remains hard to draw definitive conclusions from the data available.

The findings of the report recommended that more women are selected for space missions.

They also suggested encouraging more people to take part in ground and flight studies on Earth, while gender should also be incorporated into Nasa-funded research programmes.