Female athletes’ fertility is still a blind spot | Sport
As you point out, changes to insurance coverage for female athletes following the Carney review are welcome (landmark changes to insurance coverage for female athletes to be implemented, March 30). It’s high time to address contraception, pregnancy, menopause and other health issues that disproportionately affect women.
Yet a crucial blind spot remains: fertility. Elite athletes push their bodies to extremes, often with low body fat and intense training, which can disrupt hormones and menstrual cycles. Nearly two-thirds have irregular or absent periods, which can affect fertility.
The competitive years often coincide with peak fertility, but many athletes delay motherhood to prioritize their careers. For those trying to conceive, fewer or absent cycles make natural conception more difficult, and age-related declines in fertility must also be considered.
There is some progress: Last year, the WTA Tour pledged to protect the rankings of tennis players who took the time to undergo a fertility procedure such as egg or embryo freezing. Paid, protected leave for fertility evaluation and treatment should be standard in all women’s sports. Female athletes should not have to choose between career and parenthood – a choice rarely asked of their male counterparts.
Recognizing fertility as part of the athlete’s holistic health, providing support and flexibility, and providing timely fertility preservation options are essential. Any other solution risks undermining the progress these reforms aim to achieve.
Dr Mireia Galian
Medical Director, IVI London
