Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40332721›Full record

ArticleSports medicine - open2025

Prevalence of Menstrual Dysfunction and Hormonal Contraceptive Use Among Elite Female Athletes from Different Sports in Germany.

Elisabeth M Kirschbaum, Katharina Fischer, Dorothee Speiser, Franziska Lautenbach, Friedemann Schwenkreis, Anne Dathan-Stumpf, Kirsten Legerlotz

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Article in Sports medicine - open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Elisabeth M KirschbaumMovement Biomechanics, Institute of Sport Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany. kirschbe@student.hu-berlin.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7103-4812
Katharina FischerResearch Group Elite Female Athletes, Institute for Applied Training Science, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-1219-2563
Dorothee SpeiserDepartment of Gynecology with Breast Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6447-629X
Franziska LautenbachSports Psychology, Institute of Sport Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0603-6552
Friedemann SchwenkreisBusiness Information Systems, Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4072-0582
Anne Dathan-StumpfDepartment of Obstetrics, University Hospital of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4331-6569
Kirsten LegerlotzMovement Biomechanics, Institute of Sport Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6077-5711

Funding

Bundesministerium des Innern, für Bau und Heimat FLS-1-22
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile a regular menstrual cycle is an indicator of good health, menstrual dysfunction (MD) and wrong beliefs regarding hormonal contraceptives (HC) are quite common among elite female athletes and threaten their health. This study aimed to (1) identify the prevalence of current and lifetime MD in various sports disciplines, (2) investigate variables that are associated with the prevalence of MD, (3) study the current practice of HC use among elite German female athletes.

methods584 German elite female athletes (mean 20.7 ± 4.9 years) from 64 different sports completed an online questionnaire to assess gynecological health characteristics, history of MD, and the use of HC.

resultsSixty-nine percent of athletes not using HC reported a regular menstrual cycle, while oligomenorrhea was currently reported in 13%, secondary amenorrhea in 8%, primary amenorrhea in 2% and polymenorrhea in 8%. The current prevalence of primary amenorrhea differed between sports disciplines (p = 0.002), while oligomenorrhea (p = 0.828) and secondary amenorrhea (p = 0.848) did not. The lifetime prevalence of primary amenorrhea (10%) and oligomenorrhea (74%) differed significantly between sports disciplines (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001), while secondary amenorrhea (40%) did not (p = 0.298). The current and lifetime prevalence of primary amenorrhea was higher in aesthetic sports disciplines, while the lifetime prevalence of oligomenorrhea was higher in endurance disciplines. Factors associated with lower prevalences of MD were menstrual cycle tracking (p < 0.001), higher gynecological age (p < 0.001), regular gynecological health screenings (p = 0.008), and a diagnosed eating disorder (p = 0.037). Twenty-nine percent of these elite athletes used HC, of whom 15% claimed to use HC as a treatment for MD.

conclusionElite female athletes from a variety of sports disciplines, not just from endurance and aesthetic sports, are at high risk of developing MD. Given the high percentage of athletes using HC to treat MD, educating athletes, coaches, others from the support team and parents about the risk and prevention of MD and the effects of HC in the context of elite sports may improve gynecological health among elite athletes.

Indexed as

AmenorrheaGynecological healthMenstrual cycleOligomenorrheaPrevalenceSports disciplinesWomen

Identifiers

PMID40332721
PMCPMC12058627

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.