1382 Women Athletes

According to USAToday snapshot chart, in 1990 only 150 women participated in the Danskin women's triathlon, and now in its 16th year, 5,200 have entered. I'm thinking that a woman good enough to enter a triathlon (even one sponsored by a clothing concern) is strong and confident--and probably had her babies before she got into all that. Maybe she needed a hobby as an excuse to get away from the kids and needlepoint just doesn't get you out of the house. The huge increase does reflect the fact that there are just more really outstanding female athletes coming up through our school sport programs. Even my little couch potato kicked the soccer ball around for a season or two.

I googled a bit but haven't been able to come up with (I'll keep looking) research about the fertility and pregnancy rate of professional female athletes (those who really pursue a sport during their 20s and 30s). Dancers, golfers, basketball players, runners, skaters, body builders, skiers etc. Yes, there are many articles about health problems (hormones, broken bones, etc), but I'm looking for something that takes a group of 45 year old women who were (are) professional athletes and compares their family size to a comparable control group of non-competing athletic types. Why? Why not? They measure everything else about women in the marketplace. Send the reference if you know of something.

There is apparently the "female athlete triad"--not a triathlon--which is eating disorders, amenorrhea (absense of menstruation), and osteoporosis. Any of these conditions can make it difficult, if not impossible to become or remain pregnant. And let's assume a woman can find a man (let's say she wants a marriage and not just a "relationship") who is not threatened by her power, strength, size and schedule of events. Even if she has enough fat to be able to have normal periods, and can find some snuggle time with hubbie to start a new life, does she have the gumption to cut back on her training for 9+ months and to sit out the competitions that are her livelihood? She's got to be pretty darn competitive to have even become a world class ballet dancer, or an Olympian, or top seed in professional soccer. Babies, even in the womb, can be extremely demanding and unimpressed with mom's talents. They are the most selfish creatures on the earth.

Call me crazy, but morning sickness, fatigue and walking around with a 15 lb weight on your abdomen does not add to your agility. There are rumors that it may even sap a few brain cells. While you're sitting out that bundle of joy, some younger woman is eyeing your fought for position, even if you are in better shape than 99.9% of the rest of the pregnant women in America. It's got to make a woman think a bit about the value or importance of motherhood.

So, if these wonderful genes are to be passed along, who's going to do the job?