HEALTHCARE IN SPORTS: IMPACT OF COVID-19 INFECTION ON OVARIAN RESERVE AND MENSTRUAL CYCLE AMONG FEMALE ATHLETES IN TURKEY

Abstract

The natural hormonal changes in women's bodies during the beginning of their menstrual and ovarian cycles substantially impact their performance in Olympic sports. This study investigates the effect of the menstrual and ovarian cycles on Turkish female athletes' performance and activity levels. In addition, the effects of COVID-19 on the ovarian and menstrual cycles of female athletes have been reported. The investigation was undertaken by collecting samples from 138 female athletes between 20 and 43. The inquiry involves collecting data on female athletes in Turkey from hospitals between March 2019 and December 2021 and analyzing reproductive and menstrual cycle tests. According to the research, the menstrual cycle has less of an impact on the athletic performance of female athletes than the ovarian cycle. Women's athletic performance is dramatically diminished at the beginning of the ovarian cycle. In addition, it was observed that COVID-19 substantially affected various natural phenomena in female athletes, including their ovarian and menstrual cycles. The study's results demonstrated that COVID-19 infection dramatically affects women's reproductive cycle. In addition, the production of follicle-stimulating hormones in women was shown to be reduced after infection with COVID-19, whereas the FSH was released in large amounts before the commencement of COVID-19 infection; this had a significant impact on the performance of female athletes in Turkey.