Is Pregnancy Bad For Female Athletes?

 

A pregnancy can have both challenges and benefits for sportswomen, and it depends on how things are managed

A sporting career is quite demanding, as athletes have to consistently deliver top performance or risk losing their skills and stamina. This is why a pregnancy seems like a major challenge for female athletes. A pregnancy means that female athletes have to stay away from sports for 1-2 years or even longer. This can have an adverse impact on their sports career.

However, pregnancy is not the end of a sports career. If things are handled properly, pregnancy can actually be beneficial for female athletes in the long run. There have been many cases where female athletes have achieved their best after becoming a mother. Let us see how pregnancy impacts female athletes and what are the potential benefits.

Pregnancy stages – Impact on athletic performance

Even in early pregnancy, hormonal changes start happening such as increased heart rate, fatigue, joint laxity, etc. These symptoms can impact athletic performance. However, there have been some exceptions. For example, Serena Williams had won the Australian Open in 2017 when she was pregnant. But not every athlete can achieve such feats.

Beyond the early-stage pregnancy, it becomes harder to engage in sporting activities in most cases. This is applicable for the second trimester (week 13 to 26) and the third trimester (week 27 to birth). Even after childbirth, female athletes have to stay away from sports career due to postpartum recovery. It can take around 6 to 12 months to reach pre-pregnancy fitness levels. A relevant example is Allyson Felix, who restarted her sporting career in 10 months after child birth (cesarean).

How pregnancy can benefit female athletes?

While a pregnancy takes away a few years from the sporting career, it can help enhance mental focus and resilience among female athletes. One relevant example is marathoner Paula Radcliffe, who delivered her best performance after childbirth.

Another benefit with pregnancy is that female athletes can become more tolerant to pain. This can be beneficial in the world of sports, where injuries are quite common. With increased tolerance to pain, female athletes can easily handle small injuries and the resulting pain. They will feel less need to quit an event in case of an injury.

Pregnancy has shown to enhance cardiovascular efficiency. That is because the mother has to support the needs of both herself and the child. Pregnancy increases the blood volume and stroke volume of the heart. This can boost endurance and oxygen levels after childbirth.

The period of rest during pregnancy can work as a major recovery period. Especially if the female athlete had been pursuing intense training for several years before the pregnancy. The entire body can heal better during the pregnancy, allowing the athlete to emerge stronger and fitter.

As is evident from above, a pregnancy can be converted into an opportunity for female athletes. One just needs to follow the nutritional guidelines and monitor their health on a regular basis. Pregnant athletes should take the time to ensure both their childbirth and sports careers are well-managed.