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.
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
Athlete & Breastfeeding Mom- Understanding the Changes & Challenges

Beyond the Game: Girls Sports as a Catalyst for Leadership and Lifelong Health
Birth Control Questions - Athlete Edition
Body Talk in Sport - Let's Change the Narrative
Boob Ball and Other Breast/Chest Injuries of the Elite Athlete
Breast Health - Be Empowered, Be Proactive

Breathing for Performance
Building Resilience - Protecting Your Mental Wellbeing During Chall...
Caring for your Vulva: Athlete Edition
Communication for Success - Advocating for Yourself with Coaches and Teammates
Concussions in Female Athletes
Elite Comebacks Return to Training and Performance After Pregnancy
Exploring Sport Science and Medicine Research in Highly Trained, Elite and World-Class Femal...
Family Planning & Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) for Elite Athletes

Fertility Preservation: Everything that you need to know
Food for Thought: Food for Thought: the Mind-Body Connection of Eating and Performance
From Fighting for USA to Fighting for Reproductive Health - A Story of Infertility
Fueling Lifting Training
How to Work with My Medical Team to Optimize My Care
In the flow - Changes in Life & Perspective
Intro To REDS
Lifting Your Performance Through Your Pelvic Floor
Massage in the Delivery Room: How Massage Fits in Your Prenatal, Labor & Delivery, and Postp...
Navigating Relationships Within the Sport World
Reproduction For Elite Athletes
Sexual Abuse Dynamics Trauma Resources
Sleep to Perform, Perform to Win (Nov. 2024)
Sports Dentistry & Women's Health
Team USA Moms Fireside Chat
The Pregnant & Postpartum Athlete- Considerations Beyond the Musculoskeletal System
The Why and How of Sports Bras & Breast Health
Trauma & Women’s Mental Health
Womens Health 101 Busting Myths
- 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
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency
- 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.
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.
Rikki Keen, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS
Chimson Oleka, MD, FACOG
Allysa Seely, Paratriathlon
Mallory Weggemann, Paralympic Swimming
Gail Wetzler, PT, DPT, EDO, BI-D