To promote optimal health and performance in
athletes, physicians should reconsider prescribing progestin-only
contraceptives as they found to show negative side effects.
As per a recent study published in “International
Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance”, a higher number of athletes
reported use of hormonal contraceptives. Athletes who implanted progestin-only
contraceptives reported more menstrual cycle associated side effects.
The contraceptives are made to decrease cyclical
variability, produce a 28-day menstruation cycle and also prevent pregnancy.
Daniel Martin and colleagues conducted a study to assess hormonal contraceptive
(HC) period prevalence and related side effects of menstruation and pregnancy.
A total of 430 elite women athletes were involved in
the analysis and completed the questionnaire. The questionnaire was about
induction and discontinuation of HCs, HC use period prevalence, and side
effects observed by non-HC and HC group patients. After the questionnaire
session, the group comparison, relationship between categorical variables and
descriptive statistics were determined.
A total of 69.8% of athletes used HCs somewhere, and
49.5% were still using. About 68.1% of women used combined oral contraceptives
and 30.0% used progestin-only contraceptives. Out of 30.0%, 2.8% people
obtained progestin-only contraceptives through the intrauterine system, 3.7%
through injections and 13.1% implanted the medicine. From Progestin-only group,
39.1% patients exhibited side effects as compared to combined 17.8% of combined
HCs group (p = 0.001). The people who implanted progestin-only medication
showed more side effects as compared to other approaches (p = 0.004).
Further, recognizable positive side effects
associated with menstruation time prediction/ manipulation, amount and
frequency were noticed among athletes who used HC. On the other hand, from the
non-HC group, 77.4% of patients exhibited menstruation-related negative side
effects. The side effects were high during the first two days of menses. The
women of non-HC also exhibited 29 (5) days length of menses. As per results,
half of the athletes who used HC and progestin-only contraceptive appeared to
have more side effects. The women who used contraceptive implants exhibited
more complications as compared to others.
Human Kinetics Journals
Period Prevalence and Perceived Side Effects of Hormonal Contraceptive Use and the Menstrual Cycle in Elite Athletes
Daniel Martin et al.
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