In elite sports, even small margins can be crucial in the medal race. In most countries, more than half of the young female population, including female athletes, use hormonal contraceptives. Nevertheless, knowledge is still sparse when it comes to the effects of all types of hormonal contraceptives on musculoskeletal tissues and cardiovascular parameters in relation to adaptation to training, performance and sports injuries. Presently, oral contraception is the most widespread type of hormonal contraception. Oral contraceptives markedly change the sex hormonal profile since they suppress the endogenous sex hormone levels and induce daily fluctuations in synthetic sex hormones after ingestion of the oral contraceptive pill. Within the last years, the interest in non-genital effects of oral contraceptives in young females has risen, and both positive and negative effects of using oral contraceptives have been reported on markers of health, performance and injury risk. This suggests a need for sports specific and individualized approaches when guiding female athletes on the use of contraceptives. This presentation aims to provide the listener with an update based on the latest research findings in the field. Gaining the latest evidence within this field is relevant for researchers who include female participants in human trials, and for coaches and athletes who strive to optimize on all fronts.
© Copyright 2022 27th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Sevilla, 30. Aug - 2. Sep 2022. Published by Faculty of Sport Science - Universidad Pablo de Olavide. All rights reserved.