The WNBA's Over-the-Counter Opill Birth Control Partnership Raises Questions for Athletes and Sports Medicine
Athlete Autonomy – Blessing or Burden?
The WNBA's partnership with Opill is a victory for women's health advocacy everywhere (🙌). Easier access to birth control empowers athletes and women everywhere to take control of their bodies – a majorly impactful step towards equity around the world, not just sports. But when it comes to athletes, can too much autonomy impact performance and short and long-term health?
The Fine Line
Autonomy can give athletes agency over their training cycles, competition readiness, reproductive health and menstrual health related management to name but a few- which is incredible, don’t get us wrong - BUT, without sufficient data on the performance and health impacts of hormonal birth control, are athletes equipped to weigh the pros and cons?
The Knowledge Gap
We lack robust research on how hormonal birth control impacts athletes' performance, recovery, injury susceptibility, and long-term health, to name but a few.
This leaves us with some crucial unanswered questions:
Do different types of birth control affect endurance, strength, or recovery differently?
What are the potential side effects relevant to athletic performance, and how might they manifest differently in athletes compared to the general population?
Could hormonal birth control impact an athlete's ability to optimize training adaptations, potentially hindering performance gains?
Are there increased risks for athletes on hormonal birth control, like bone density issues or cardiovascular complications?
How might long-term use impact post-retirement health, and are certain medical histories particularly concerning in combination with hormonal birth control for athletes?
…and many more!
Impact on Young Athletes
For developing athletes, the stakes are even higher. Introducing hormonal birth control during a period of rapid physical change could have unforeseen consequences for both immediate performance and long-term career health . Athletes, coaches, and parents need better data to make informed choices.
The WNBA's Responsibility & Opportunity
The WNBA's partnership puts them in the spotlight. They are doing an incredible job of reproductive health advocacy for women everywhere but must go beyond this for athletes and champion:
Athlete education campaigns emphasizing informed choice alongside autonomy.
Partnerships with researchers to address the data gaps in contraception use & performance/health.
Advocacy for athlete-centric studies, driving progress in women and girl's sports medicine .
This partnership is a starting point, but definitely not an end goal in our eyes! The WNBA has the power to drive a transformation in women's sports medicine. If they lead on research, they can unlock the full potential of female athletes, safeguarding their health and performance for generations to come!
