Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40571806›Full record

ArticleSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2025

What are the Risks of Contact Sport During Pregnancy: a Survey-Based Investigation.

Paris A T Jones, Emma Brockwell, Sinéad Dufour, Amal Hassan, Brittany A Matenchuk, Margie H Davenport

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Article in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 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

6 authors.

Paris A T JonesProgram for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health, Physical Activity and Diabetes Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, Alberta Diabetes Institute, Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, 1-059D Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation, 8602-112 St, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.ORCID 0009-0004-9830-2265
Emma BrockwellPrivate Practice, Physiomum, Oxted, Surrey, UK.
Sinéad DufourFaculty of Health Science, School of Rehabilitation, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Amal HassanKynisca Innovation Hub, Washington Soccer Properties LLC, London, England.
Brittany A MatenchukProgram for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health, Physical Activity and Diabetes Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, Alberta Diabetes Institute, Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, 1-059D Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation, 8602-112 St, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
Margie H DavenportProgram for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health, Physical Activity and Diabetes Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, Alberta Diabetes Institute, Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, 1-059D Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation, 8602-112 St, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada. margie.davenport@ualberta.ca.ORCID 0000-0001-5627-5773

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurrent guidelines recommend avoiding activities with the risk of contact during pregnancy, despite a lack of empirical data to support this recommendation. As a result, individuals who participate in contact and collision sports such as football or rugby are often confronted with difficult decisions and, in the absence of clear guidance, may resort to making choices based on personal experience, limited advice, or fear.

objectiveWe aimed to examine the impact of continued participation in contact sport during pregnancy on maternal and fetal health outcomes.

methodsWe conducted an online survey study of individuals (≥ 18 years of age) who participated in contact or collision sports during pregnancy. The survey collected self-reported information on participant demographics, sport participation (type, hours, and contact exposure) from pre-conception to postpartum, maternal and infant health outcomes, feelings towards continuing/stopping participation in sport, and medical advice received during the perinatal period. Odds ratios or relative risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all categorical outcomes using regression adjusted for relevant covariates to compare outcomes in individuals who stopped participating in contact sport ≤ 12 weeks and > 12 weeks gestation as well as individuals who did and did not sustain a hit (contact) during pregnancy.

resultsBetween September 2023 and February 2024, 395 participants (age 34.6 ± 5.0, months postpartum 27.2 ± 34.3; primarily from Australia, Canada, the UK, and the USA) were recruited to participate in the survey. Participants participated in contact sports for an average of 12.8 ± 6.4 weeks of pregnancy with 84 individuals sustaining hard hits and 114 individuals sustaining cumulative low impact contact. Participants reported partaking in a total of 11,687.2 h of contact exposure during pregnancy and the rate of adverse events was 1.11 per 1000 h of exposure. Overall, continued participation in contact sport during pregnancy was associated with better mental health status. Over half of participants stated that they had concerns about participating in contact sports during their pregnancy; however, 90% felt "happy" or "very happy" about continuing their sport during pregnancy.

conclusionsPregnant individuals continue to participate in contact sports during pregnancy. Participants who continued participating in contact sports were more likely to report decreased depression. Continued participation in contact activities was not associated with the odds of other maternal or fetal complications during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Further investigation is required to direct safe participation in contact sports during pregnancy.

Indexed as

Athletic InjuriesSportsAdultFemaleHumansPregnancySurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID40571806

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.