Prevalence and Self-Perceived Experiences With the Use of Hormonal Contraceptives Among Competitive Female Cross-Country Skiers and Biathletes in Norway: The FENDURA Project
PurposeTo investigate the prevalence of hormonal contraceptive (HC) use by female cross-country (XC) skiers and biathletes competing at a national and/or international level, their reasons for HC use, and to compare negative symptoms related to the HC-/menstrual cycle in HC users and non-HC users. A...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.873222/full |
| _version_ | 1818024861334765568 |
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| author | Tina P. Engseth Erik P. Andersson Guro S. Solli Guro S. Solli Bente Morseth Tor Oskar Thomassen Dionne A. Noordhof Øyvind Sandbakk Øyvind Sandbakk Boye Welde |
| author_facet | Tina P. Engseth Erik P. Andersson Guro S. Solli Guro S. Solli Bente Morseth Tor Oskar Thomassen Dionne A. Noordhof Øyvind Sandbakk Øyvind Sandbakk Boye Welde |
| author_sort | Tina P. Engseth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | PurposeTo investigate the prevalence of hormonal contraceptive (HC) use by female cross-country (XC) skiers and biathletes competing at a national and/or international level, their reasons for HC use, and to compare negative symptoms related to the HC-/menstrual cycle in HC users and non-HC users. Additionally, to characterize the self-perceived influence of HC use on training and performance.MethodsA total of 113 Norwegian competitive XC skiers and biathletes completed an online questionnaire including both closed and open-ended questions. The questions were designed to assess the type of HC, reasons for use, self-reported negative symptoms related to HC-/menstrual cycle, as well as athletes' experiences regarding how HC use affects training and performance.ResultsIn total, 68% of all the athletes used HC, with 64 and 36% of them using a progestin-only and combined type HC, respectively. Non-contraceptive reasons for HC use were reported by 51% of the progestin-only HC users vs. 75% of the combined HC users (P = 0.039), with reduction of negative menstrual-related symptoms as the most common reason. Of the athletes reporting regular withdrawal bleedings in connection to HC use, 80% of the progestin-only and 86% of combined HC users experienced negative menstrual-related symptoms, which was comparable to the non-HC group (86%). The majority (81%) of HC users experienced solely positive, or no effect, of HC use on training and performance, with no differences between progestin-only and combined HC users (P = 0.942).ConclusionsIn total, 68% of the XC skiers and biathletes used HC, with the highest proportion (64%) using a progestin-only HC. Many athletes used HC to manipulate their menstrual cycle due to perceived negative menstrual-related symptoms that interfered with their training sessions and/or competitions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:06:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f830f02dce246aa82a9eaee7c93bffc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:06:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f830f02dce246aa82a9eaee7c93bffc2022-12-22T02:02:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672022-04-01410.3389/fspor.2022.873222873222Prevalence and Self-Perceived Experiences With the Use of Hormonal Contraceptives Among Competitive Female Cross-Country Skiers and Biathletes in Norway: The FENDURA ProjectTina P. Engseth0Erik P. Andersson1Guro S. Solli2Guro S. Solli3Bente Morseth4Tor Oskar Thomassen5Dionne A. Noordhof6Øyvind Sandbakk7Øyvind Sandbakk8Boye Welde9School of Sport Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwaySchool of Sport Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwaySchool of Sport Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Sports Science and Physical Education, Nord University, Bodø, NorwaySchool of Sport Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwaySchool of Sport Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Centre for Elite Sports Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwaySchool of Sport Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Centre for Elite Sports Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwaySchool of Sport Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwayPurposeTo investigate the prevalence of hormonal contraceptive (HC) use by female cross-country (XC) skiers and biathletes competing at a national and/or international level, their reasons for HC use, and to compare negative symptoms related to the HC-/menstrual cycle in HC users and non-HC users. Additionally, to characterize the self-perceived influence of HC use on training and performance.MethodsA total of 113 Norwegian competitive XC skiers and biathletes completed an online questionnaire including both closed and open-ended questions. The questions were designed to assess the type of HC, reasons for use, self-reported negative symptoms related to HC-/menstrual cycle, as well as athletes' experiences regarding how HC use affects training and performance.ResultsIn total, 68% of all the athletes used HC, with 64 and 36% of them using a progestin-only and combined type HC, respectively. Non-contraceptive reasons for HC use were reported by 51% of the progestin-only HC users vs. 75% of the combined HC users (P = 0.039), with reduction of negative menstrual-related symptoms as the most common reason. Of the athletes reporting regular withdrawal bleedings in connection to HC use, 80% of the progestin-only and 86% of combined HC users experienced negative menstrual-related symptoms, which was comparable to the non-HC group (86%). The majority (81%) of HC users experienced solely positive, or no effect, of HC use on training and performance, with no differences between progestin-only and combined HC users (P = 0.942).ConclusionsIn total, 68% of the XC skiers and biathletes used HC, with the highest proportion (64%) using a progestin-only HC. Many athletes used HC to manipulate their menstrual cycle due to perceived negative menstrual-related symptoms that interfered with their training sessions and/or competitions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.873222/fullcombined hormonal contraceptivesendurancefemale athleteshormonal contraceptivesprogestin-only hormonal contraceptives |
| spellingShingle | Tina P. Engseth Erik P. Andersson Guro S. Solli Guro S. Solli Bente Morseth Tor Oskar Thomassen Dionne A. Noordhof Øyvind Sandbakk Øyvind Sandbakk Boye Welde Prevalence and Self-Perceived Experiences With the Use of Hormonal Contraceptives Among Competitive Female Cross-Country Skiers and Biathletes in Norway: The FENDURA Project Frontiers in Sports and Active Living combined hormonal contraceptives endurance female athletes hormonal contraceptives progestin-only hormonal contraceptives |
| title | Prevalence and Self-Perceived Experiences With the Use of Hormonal Contraceptives Among Competitive Female Cross-Country Skiers and Biathletes in Norway: The FENDURA Project |
| title_full | Prevalence and Self-Perceived Experiences With the Use of Hormonal Contraceptives Among Competitive Female Cross-Country Skiers and Biathletes in Norway: The FENDURA Project |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and Self-Perceived Experiences With the Use of Hormonal Contraceptives Among Competitive Female Cross-Country Skiers and Biathletes in Norway: The FENDURA Project |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and Self-Perceived Experiences With the Use of Hormonal Contraceptives Among Competitive Female Cross-Country Skiers and Biathletes in Norway: The FENDURA Project |
| title_short | Prevalence and Self-Perceived Experiences With the Use of Hormonal Contraceptives Among Competitive Female Cross-Country Skiers and Biathletes in Norway: The FENDURA Project |
| title_sort | prevalence and self perceived experiences with the use of hormonal contraceptives among competitive female cross country skiers and biathletes in norway the fendura project |
| topic | combined hormonal contraceptives endurance female athletes hormonal contraceptives progestin-only hormonal contraceptives |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.873222/full |
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