What is the impact of childbirth on performance in elite to world-class track and field female athletes?
Starc L, Mason J, Dakic J, Thompson-Butel A, Legge N, Beetham K et al. · Research Square · 2026
Abstract
Background: Whether the world’s most competitive female athletes can return to pre-pregnancy performance after childbirth remains unexplored across most track and field disciplines. This observational study examined performance trajectories before and after childbirth, the influence of maternal age on performance post-birth, and the time to return to competition in elite and world class athletes.
Methods: Elite and world class track and field athletes with a documented childbirth and return to competition were included. Season’s best
Results: up to five years before and after childbirth were normalised to personal bests. Beta mixed-effects regression was used to assess whether performance varied between seasons. Logistic regression was used to determine the association of maternal age and probability of post-birth personal best.
Results Eighty athletes contributed to 120 performance entries (age at childbirth 29 years (SD 4.3; range 17–37); 42.5% world class, 57.5% elite) across sprints, middle distance, hurdles, jumps, throws and combined events. Median maternity break was 11.5 months (Q1-Q3: 8.4–15.3 months) which varied across disciplines. Performances in middle distance, hurdles, jumps, and combined events showed no significant differences between seasons around childbirth. Sprint and throwing performances were significantly lower 1 year after childbirth compared to 1 and 2 (p ≤ 0.023) years prior to childbirth, then significantly increased from year 1 to 3 years post-birth (p ≤ 0.033). Overall, 36% of our sample achieved a personal best after childbirth, and advancing maternal age significantly lowered the odds of achieving this (odds ratio = 0.70, 95%CI = 0.58 to 0.81).
Conclusions: Childbirth does not preclude elite track and field performance. For most disciplines, performance was not significantly different after birth. Sprint and throwing disciplines demonstrated a transient performance dip, which recovered by 3 years post-birth. Athletes returned to competition ~ 11.5 months, with substantial individual variability. Peak performance post-birth remains achievable, although the probability decreased with maternal age.