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These guidelines are intended as a practical checklist for all those concerned with pregnancy in sport. However, because each person, each pregnancy, each legal case and each sport is different, these guidelines can only assist in a general way with making decisions about this issue. Sporting organisations and their staff should also keep up to date with developments in medicine, the law, the insurance industry and ethical debate to ensure that rules and practices are relevant and in line with new legislation and current thought, and that the way people perceive these issues is soundly based in fact. See the Resources section at the end of this publication for the contact details of organisations that can provide the latest relevant information.

The administrator or facility manager

• Be aware of relevant federal, and state or territory anti-discrimination legislation and how it affects your organisation and sport.
• Evaluate the measures you should take to limit the likelihood of pregnant participants being harmed and take reasonable care to ensure that such measures are carried out.
• Respect and support the rights of women who wish to continue exercising while pregnant.
• Ensure that policies are in place to outline the organisation’s commitment to equal opportunity and avoiding discrimination, particularly where pregnant women are concerned, and review the rules and regulations, and the organisation’s constitution, with this in mind.
• Ensure that everyone in your organisation understands these policies and commitments. It is important that the policies are continually updated. Ensure that insurance policies are up to date and provide appropriate cover.
• Develop practices that minimise the risk of injury to all participants.
• Seek professional medical or legal advice when necessary and ensure that this advice is available to coaches and officials when required.
• Avoid giving advice that you are not qualified to give, and encourage pregnant athletes to obtain and act on professional medical advice, particularly about the risks of continuing to play and when to stop.
• Provide a clear statement containing this advice in the registration form for your sport or competition, or in similar documents, and display a similar notice in a prominent place where all will see it.
• Ensure that coaches select participants on the basis of merit and capability.

The coach

• Encourage athletes to obtain and act on professional medical advice with regard to pregnancy and sport.
• Respect and support the rights of women who wish to continue exercising while pregnant.
• Avoid giving advice that you are not qualified to give.
• Select participants by merit and capability, without discriminating on the basis of pregnancy.
• Ensure that insurance policies are up to date and provide appropriate cover.

The official

• Advise pregnant athletes that there may be risks involved in participating while pregnant, and that they should obtain medical advice about whether to participate and for how long.
• Provide a clear statement containing this advice in the registration form for your sport or competition, or in similar documents, and display a similar notice in a prominent place where all will see it.
• Apply the rules and laws of the sport or activity equitably at all times.
• Place the safety and welfare of all participants above all else.
• Respect and support the rights of women who wish to continue exercising while pregnant.
• Avoid giving advice that you are not qualified to give.
• Ensure that insurance policies are up to date and provide appropriate cover.

The pregnant participant

• Before making the decision about whether to continue to participate in sport, obtain expert medical advice, and obtain a clear understanding of the risks, particularly in regard to your sport.
• Regularly review your training and performance program with your medical adviser.
• Consider discussing the implications of your pregnancy with coaches, officials and administrators.
• Consider your insurance cover and ensure that it is adequate and relevant.
• Use common sense and do not take unnecessary risks.
• Take into account the changes in your physical condition.
• Do not increase the intensity of your sporting program while you are pregnant, and always work at less than 75 per cent of your maximum heart rate.

• Watch for warning signs, such as bleeding or abdominal pain, and see a doctor immediately if these occur.