Minding the Gap: The Unmet Needs of Elite Female Athletes' Reproductive Health
Saturday, October 14, 2023
10:30 AM – 11:45 AM ET
Location: Dover C (Third Floor)
Despite a growing number of stories about fertility and pregnancy struggles among female athletes in recent media, there has been little published in the academic literature on this topic, and even less from the perspective of the key stakeholders involved: the elite female athletes. We carried out a qualitative study to help bridge the literature gap on women’s access to reproductive health by exploring the reproductive challenges of elite female athletes, due to the physiological and psychosocial demands of their profession, and begin to change the professional athletic landscape.
We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 current and former elite female athletes regarding personal medical history, utilization of reproductive health services, use of assisted reproductive technology, and the impact of menstruation, pregnancy, and motherhood on athletic performance. After doing thematic analysis, we identified five overarching themes: (1) a lack of reproductive education or support from sports organizations; (2) informal penalization if reproductive health needs interfered with their sport; (3) performing at a lower level due to menstrual cycle symptoms; (4) concern about future fertility; and (5) declining mental health due to reproductive health concerns.
Due to restrictive policies, dismissive leaders, and rigid social structures, elite female athletes are receiving inadequate reproductive healthcare. This negatively impacts their athletic performance, as well as their current and future reproductive health. More research needs to be done on how the lifestyle of elite female athletes affects their reproductive health and what interventions can be made to better support their careers and reproductive goals.
Shehani Jayawickrama – School of Medicine – University of Texas Medical Branch; Kseniya Masterova – Nutrition Metabolism and Rehabilitation Sciences – University of Texas Medical Branch; Kathleen Vincent – Obstetrics and Gynecology – University of Texas Medical Branch; Lisa Campo-Engelstein – Institute for Bioethics & Health Humanities – University of Texas Medical Branch