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
Breast Health - Be Empowered, Be Proactive
Caring for your Vulva: Athlete Edition
High Performance Pelvic Health: Athletes Need More Than Kegels
Lifting Your Performance Through Your Pelvic Floor
Sports Dentistry & Women's Health
The Why and How of Sports Bras & Breast Health
High-Impact Sport & the Pelvic Floor: What Every Athlete Needs to Know
Athlete & Breastfeeding Mom- Understanding the Changes & Challenges
Elite Comebacks Return to Training and Performance After Pregnancy
Family Planning & Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) for Elite Athletes
From Fighting for USA to Fighting for Reproductive Health - A Story of Infertility
Massage in the Delivery Room: How Massage Fits in Your Prenatal, Labor & Delivery, and Postp...
Reproduction For Elite Athletes
Team USA Moms Fireside Chat
The Pregnant & Postpartum Athlete- Considerations Beyond the Musculoskeletal System
Body Talk in Sport - Let's Change the Narrative
Building Resilience - Protecting Your Mental Wellbeing During Chall...
Food for Thought: Food for Thought: the Mind-Body Connection of Eating and Performance
Sexual Abuse Dynamics Trauma Resources
Sleep to Perform, Perform to Win (Nov. 2024)
The Impact of Sleep on Female Athletes' Performance and Recovery
Trauma & Women’s Mental Health
Wonder + Women - ADHD in Female Athletes

Beyond the Game: Girls Sports as a Catalyst for Leadership and Lifelong Health
Communication for Success - Advocating for Yourself with Coaches and Teammates
Exploring Sport Science and Medicine Research in Highly Trained, Elite and World-Class Femal...
How to Work with My Medical Team to Optimize My Care
Navigating Relationships Within the Sport World
- 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
