Women's Health
The USOPC is committed to supporting the well-being of Team USA athletes throughout their careers. With women representing half of Team USA’s athlete population, the USOPC is focused on the unique challenges and opportunities women athletes may face. In 2022, the USOPC launched the Women’s Health Taskforce, comprised of 16 world-class clinicians, athletes and service providers across various specialties, focus on identifying the needs, developing the resources and solutions, and creating action plans to support the women of Team USA – before, during and after competition.
The knowledge that is centered around female Olympic athletes and pregnancy is so helpful because there's so much information out there. It's hard to know who to trust and I know I can trust the USOPC.
Athlete participant in women's health webinars.
Education and Outreach
The taskforce is focused on education and outreach on a variety of topics designed to empower and support female athletes and their support networks. Each month, the taskforce hosts a webinar on women’s health topics open to athletes to learn and ask questions.
Topics have spanned:
- Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs)
- Trauma/Abuse/Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE)
- Menses
- Pelvic pain/dysfunction
- Hormones
- Fertility
- Pre- and Postnatal care and exercise
- Pregnancy
- Nutrition
- Training guidelines
Webinar Resource Handouts#
Women's Health Webinars#
Athlete & Breastfeeding Mom- Understanding the Changes & Challenges
Breastfeeding can be hard and beautiful and everything in between. In this webinar, elite athletes share their experi...
Birth Control Questions - Athlete Edition
Body Talk in Sport - Let's Change the Narrative
What you say to yourself and what others say to you about your body can be powerful both in good and not so good ways...
Boob Ball and Other Breast/Chest Injuries of the Elite Athlete
Dr. Katie Rizzone is a dynamic speaker and passionate about the topic of breast/chest injuries. During this webinar, ...
Breast Health - Be Empowered, Be Proactive
In Breast Cancer Awareness Month, experts, Team USA athletes, and staff share personal and professional experiences w...
Caring for your Vulva: Athlete Edition
In this webinar, leading gynecologist Dr. Chimsom Oleka goes there and discusses all things vulva health, an importan...
Communication for Success - Advocating for Yourself with Coaches and Teammates
This webinar explores effective communication between athletes and coaches, featuring insights from both perspectives...
Concussions in Female Athletes
Family Planning & Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) for Elite Athletes
Dr. Kate Ackerman, a world expert in endocrinology and women’s health, leads a discussion on how to navigate Therapeu...
Food for Thought: Food for Thought: the Mind-Body Connection of Eating and Performance
This webinar discusses the importance of proper fueling for performance and how the mind-body plays such a critical r...
From Fighting for USA to Fighting for Reproductive Health - A Story of Infertility
Hear from an elite athlete about her powerful journey through infertility in her desire for a family and the outcomes...
Fueling Lifting Training
How to Work with My Medical Team to Optimize My Care
Have you ever wondered what you should ask or how to best advocate for yourself when you see a provider? This discus...
In the flow - Changes in Life & Perspective
This discussion covers the unique transitions that females experience day to day with hormonal fluctuations, includin...
Intro To REDS
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) is critical for all athletes, coaches and providers to be aware of to allo...
Lifting Your Performance Through Your Pelvic Floor
Pelvic floor symptoms like urinary leakage and pain are common in athletes, especially females, impacting performance...
Massage in the Delivery Room: How Massage Fits in Your Prenatal, Labor & Delivery, and Postp...
This webinar led by USOPC massage therapist Caitlin Gregg explores evidence-based massage techniques for pregnancy, l...
Navigating Relationships Within the Sport World
The sporting ecosystem can be tricky and convoluted with a lot of different relationships. Dr. Kate Bennett leads thi...
Reproduction For Elite Athletes
What do you do if you can’t get pregnant right away? Should you and if so when should you freeze your eggs? These que...
Sexual Abuse Dynamics Trauma Resources
This webinar led by Jessica Dotter, a sexual assault resource prosecutor and advocate for women who have experienced ...
Sleep to Perform, Perform to Win (Nov. 2024)
Dr. Allison Brager and USOPC psychological services provider Jim Doorley discuss how to apply the latest principles a...
Sports Dentistry & Women's Health
Explore the evolving role of sports dentistry in women’s health, including hormone impacts, TMJ evaluation, and advan...
Team USA Moms Fireside Chat
Join Team USA athletes and staff for an open talk on motherhood, covering pregnancy, nursing, and balancing parenthoo...
The Pregnant & Postpartum Athlete- Considerations Beyond the Musculoskeletal System
This critical discussion highlights important components of a mom’s health during pregnancy and post-partum that must...
The Why and How of Sports Bras & Breast Health
Trauma & Women’s Mental Health
Unfortunately, trauma will be a part of many of our lives as women either directly or through someone you know. Dr. W...
Womens Health 101 Busting Myths
Wonder + Women - ADHD in Female Athletes
Often overlooked or diagnosed late, ADHD in female athletes can be a superpower. Learn how to recognize and perform a...
Resources#
- Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
- Your Attention Please - Breast Screening
- Breast Research Australia - Sports Bra Fitting
- Mayo Clinic - Navigating Pregnancy with a Disability
- Journal of Women's Health - The Impact of Physical Disability on Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Team USA New Family Fund - Grant designed to support EAHI-eligible Team USA athletes who are new parents; Can assist with expenses, including: postnatal recovery care , infant supplies (e.g., diapers, formula), lactation or bottle-feeding support, and childcare.
- RESOLVE
- Colorado Fertility Advocates
- US Fertility
- Win Fertility
- Carrot Fertility
- CNY Fertility - Offers many military discounts/grants
- USOPC Psychological Services
- USOPC Mental Health & Mental Performance Directory
- USOPC Mental Health Assistance Fund
- National Institute of Mental Health - Women & Mental Health
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Office of Women's Health
- Mass General Brigham - Why We Need To Pay Attention to Women’s Mental Health
- Massachusetts General Hospital - Women's Mental Health Across the Life Cycle
- Postpartum Return to Sport
- Postpartum Athlete
- Female Athlete Voice Project - Collaboration with Stanford University, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard University and the University of Washington to conduct a focused athlete survey, which captures the voices and perspectives of 40 Team USA female Olympic and Paralympic athletes. This yielded 14 priority topics important to Team USA female athletes, including the impact of menstrual cycles on training and performance, the impact of female physiology on recovery processes, mental skills and the effects of specific types of birth control options.
USOPC Women's Health Taskforce#
Thank you to the 17 individuals dedicating their expertise and time to the USOPC Women’s Health Taskforce. For a brief video introduction of their background and passion for women's health, please click on the individual taskforce member's names.
Kathryn Ackerman, MD, MPH, FACSM; Co-chair
Amber Donaldson, DPT, MPhysio (Manip), SCS, CSCS, FACSM; Co-chair
Jessica Bartley, PsyD
Erika Brown, PA
Ellen Casey, MD
Kelsey Dickinson, Olympic Biathlon
Amanda Fleece
Sarah Gibson, Olympic Swimming
Lindsay Golich, MSc.
Sara Hendershot, Olympic Rowing
Rikki Keen, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS
Chimson Oleka, MD, FACOG
Mallory Weggemann, Paralympic Swimming
Gail Wetzler, PT, DPT, EDO, BI-D