New FIFPRO research delivers key findings on gynaecological health of women's players

• Professional women’s players are more likely to encounter irregular menstrual cycles than the general population, according to a FIFPRO-driven medical study
  
  
• Seventy-four professional footballers participated in the trial which was seed-funded by the Drake Football Study
  
  
• Launched in 2019, the Drake Football Study is a 10-year project tracking the physical and mental health of footballers

A FIFPRO-driven medical study into gynaecological health patterns of footballers suggests professional women’s players are more likely to encounter irregular menstrual cycles than the general population.

Seventy-four professional footballers, all of whom play in their country’s highest or second-highest league, participated in the trial which was seed-funded by the Drake Football Study.

The study found that 30 percent of women players reported to have irregular menstrual cycles, which is higher than the typical 15-25 percent average. Whether this is associated with their playing career remains unanswered. Meanwhile, 75 percent reported dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), which fits within the 50-90 percent average. The full report can be accessed HERE.

"As for any health domains, we are lacking research in women elite athletes, and thus also in women elite footballers," said FIFPRO’s Medical Director Prof Dr Vincent Gouttebarge.

A former professional footballer, Prof Dr Gouttebarge is the co-lead of the Drake Football Study, a 10-year project tracking the physical and mental health of men’s and women’s players. "As part of the Drake Football Study, we are looking at the health of women’s players from a holistic perspective and one of those aspects, logically, is gynaecological health.

"It is essential to bridge the gap in order first to explore the interaction from one health domain with another, for instance between menstrual cycles and injuries, and second to develop tailored interventions and support measures."

Only one participant of the 74 footballers was a mother. Such a low number suggests that it remains challenging for women’s players to balance pregnancy, childbirth and the post-partum return-to-play period as a professional athlete.

"While the sample size might be considered as limited, it’s a concerning finding that might mean women’s players still don’t feel secure to start a family during their career which, of course, should be the case," said Prof Dr Gouttebarge.

The FIFA Maternity Regulations, which were introduced in January 2021 after pressure from FIFPRO, have been in place to protect the rights of players who become pregnant during their careers.

FIFPRO also launched last year a 48-page guide to help professional footballers, team staff and other football stakeholders, to better understand pregnancy and the phase after childbirth. It was developed by a taskforce of professional women’s players who have experienced pregnancy and childbirth during their career.

'We need to strengthen female-specific knowledge in medical and performance teams'

The study into women players’ gynaecological health patterns was seed-funded by the Drake Football Study. Launched in 2019, the 10-year project is tracking the physical and mental health of around 170 men’s and women’s footballers – from their playing careers and transitioning through to retirement.

Prof Dr Gouttebarge is the project lead together with Prof Dr Gino Kerkhoffs, chair of the Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine department at the Amsterdam University Medical Centres.

Speaking of the participants involved in the gynaecological health patterns study, Prof Dr Gouttebarge said: "We will continue to monitor these players in the next years and assess whether their health changes. We will also conduct interviews to not only better identify and understand their needs but raise awareness more generally on the importance of gynaecological health in the professional football industry."