Mid Sweden University

miun.sePublications
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Hormonal Contraceptive Use and Self-Reported Menstrual Cycle-Related Symptom Frequency and Severity in Norwegian Team Handball Players of Different Competition Levels
Mid Sweden University, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Health Sciences (HOV). UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4433-1218
Show others and affiliations
2025 (English)In: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, ISSN 1555-0265, E-ISSN 1555-0273, Vol. 20, no 4, p. 515-523Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose: To compare the frequency and severity of self-perceived negative symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle or hormonal-contraceptive (HC) cycle between (1) HC users and non–HC users and (2) different competition levels. An additional aim was to describe the rate and type of HC use and prevalence of potential menstrual-cycle disturbances in female team handball players. Methods: A total of 136 team handball players, competing at different levels (international, 48; national, 52; local/regional, 36), completed a cross-sectional survey regarding self-reported negative cycle-related symptom frequency and severity, perceived influence on training/competition performance, menstrual function, and current and/or past HC use. Results: Although most players regularly experienced negative cycle-related symptoms, non–HC users reported more frequent and severe cramps (P = .001 to .026), as well as a higher occurrence of fatigue and skin problems (P = .019 to .045), compared with HC users. Negative symptoms such as fatigue were more common and severe for local/regional-level players compared with players at higher (international) competition levels (P = .006–.046). Half (47%) of the players currently used HC, primarily long-acting reversible contraceptives (52%), as well as the combined oral (33%) or progestin-only pill (14%). Notably, only 2% of players altered their training in response to negative cycle-related symptoms, despite 41% perceiving that these symptoms interfered with training quality and athletic performance. Conclusions: Negative cycle-related symptoms are common among team handball players, regardless of HC use, and are perceived by many players to adversely influence their athletic performance. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Human Kinetics, 2025. Vol. 20, no 4, p. 515-523
Keywords [en]
female athlete, menstruation, sex hormones, team sport
National Category
Sport and Fitness Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-54205DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2023-0382Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105001031938OAI: oai:DiVA.org:miun-54205DiVA, id: diva2:1950696
Available from: 2025-04-08 Created: 2025-04-08 Last updated: 2025-09-25Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full textScopus

Authority records

Andersson, Erik P.

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Andersson, Erik P.
By organisation
Department of Health Sciences (HOV)
In the same journal
International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
Sport and Fitness Sciences

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
urn-nbn
Total: 33 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf