June 16 (Reuters) - World Athletics has launched a project to study pregnancy, childbirth and the return to competition among elite female athletes to help shape future policy, the governing body said on Tuesday.
The Childbirth And Return in Elite Sport (CARES) project aims to combine research and policy to better understand pregnancy and motherhood in elite athletics, and to shape support systems that can help reduce inequalities for female athletes.
The global federation is inviting athletes to complete one of two surveys, with input from its Health and Science, Competition and Athletes' Commission departments.
One survey targets athletes who have experienced pregnancy during their careers since January 2019, focusing on issues including barriers to returning to competition, support structures and financial considerations.
A second survey is aimed at athletes who have not been pregnant and will examine perceptions of maternity support and governance, as well as potential ranking protections for athletes taking maternity leave.
"We are continually looking for ways to make our sport even more equitable," World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said.
Athletes' Commission chair Valerie Adams applauded the project.
"When I started my career, you didn't want to tell your sponsors if you got pregnant because you might get dropped," Adams said. "By the time I retired, as a mother of two, we're seeing more female athletes coming back from having kids and performing at an elite level.
"I hope that the work being done in this space will further inspire female athletes to not only plan their sporting career, but also plan their life."
The surveys are open to athletes in the World Athletics rankings, with responses due by September 30.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
