Pregnancy and motherhood

As participation in women’s football grows, more players who wish to become mothers will be faced with the physical, psychological and performance adaptations brought about by pregnancy and motherhood. Despite the growing number of mother-athletes—including elite footballers—practical and sport-specific perinatal guidelines are scant, owing, in part, to a relative lack of field-based research. Exercise during and following pregnancy is well established to be safe and beneficial for the majority of individuals; however, participation in football during the perinatal period presents additional considerations. Fostering an open culture in which footballers feel safe and supported when communicating their needs around pregnancy, birth and return to football is essential. Individualised player-centred protocols delivered collaboratively by an extended specialist perinatal multidisciplinary team (including obstetrics, midwifery and pelvic health physiotherapy) is recommended. Clear and open communication, timely protocol preparation, regular monitoring and multidimensional, criteria-based progression are key to enabling players’ progress back onto the pitch whilst meeting their needs as mothers. Players’ wellbeing, illness and injury risk should be key considerations. The aim of this chapter is to enhance the scientific knowledge of readers and increase their confidence in collaboratively managing perinatal footballers in the training environment.