Time to performance loss on endurance elite pregnant women: changes in VO2max and muscular strength

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Participation of women in elite sports has significantly increased, raising important considerations regarding pregnancy and sport performance. While moderate physical activity is generally safe, guidelines do not have specific recommendations for pregnant athletes, due to lack of evidence. Furthermore, optimal age for fertility coincides with peak performance, complicating even more reproductive planning. Combining social view for motherhood and their sports career, athletes need to take important decisions about their pregnancy without science-based information. There is no data to create an appropriate timeline for leaving competition, ensuring both maternal security and fetal well-being while acknowledging when performance levels decline. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of the study is to analyse how pregnancy affects sport performance by determining the time when 10% of performance loss. DESIGN AND SETTING: the study is designed as a multicentre international observational prospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Pregnant elite athletes practicing endurance sports. METHODS: Ninety-seven subjects will be recruited during three years with a consecutive sampling method. Participants will be followed from pre-pregnancy period, following up to the third trimester of pregnancy, in order to determine the time where VO2max and/or muscle strength drop 10%