Her Body. Her Performance. Her Power.

Dr. Lamia Zafrani on Women’s health in Sports

* This is a summary of the Podcast Episode “Her Body. Her Performance. Her Power. Dr. Lamia Zafrani on Women’s health in Sports”. You can listen to the full story on Podbean, Spotify or Youtube. *

By Ilaria Biancacci

Women in sport are pushing performance to unprecedented levels, yet their health needs remain chronically under-served. Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Lamia Zafrani is determined to change that. Combining two worlds that rarely meet, she has built a career at the intersection of elite performance and women’s health, becoming one of the UK’s leading experts in sports gynaecology and active pregnancy.

A professional path shaped by advocacy

Dr. Zafrani never expected to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology. A demanding placement, guided by a supervisor who showed her the purpose and value of women’s healthcare, shifted her trajectory, aligning seamlessly with her long-standing commitment to women’s rights. She continued to train and practice sports throughout her medical career, bringing a rare dual perspective to her work.

“I’d always been involved in sports from a young age—Muay Thai, team sports, you name it,” she explains. “I started powerlifting in my early 20s and realised I really enjoyed it and was good at it. By the time I began my residency in obstetrics and gynaecology, sport was already a big part of my life.”

The turning point came unexpectedly. A 32-week pregnant CrossFit athlete walked into her clinic. What started as a routine consultation quickly turned into a conversation about exercise. “I don’t know how we ended up talking about it,” Lamia recalls. “Back then, as a first-year resident, I was just finding my feet. But we started discussing her workouts. She was still training, following the same routines as everyone else, without modifications—and without asking for my permission as a doctor. She was going to do it anyway. That moment made me realise how many women must be navigating this uncertainty alone,” she says. It sparked a mission that has shaped her work ever since and forced Lamia to confron a gap she hadn’t fully recognised before.  “As her doctor, I didn’t know what to advise. I didn’t know if it was safe. And then I thought, one day, when I have children, I’ll want to train too. What advice would I give myself—or another patient? That’s when I realised how huge the gap was.”

For over 15 years, she has followed that thread, that mission. Alongside her medical training, she qualified as a pregnancy and postpartum athlete coach, learning where her expertise could truly add value. “There are excellent fitness coaches for pregnancy and postpartum. You don’t need me to be a coach. But what I can do is plug the gap where obstetricians and gynaecologists don’t have performance-informed knowledge. Athletes get pregnant and continue training, and they’re bounced between their performance team and their doctor. No one has the full picture.”

That interface—between clinical obstetrics and elite athletic performance—is where Lamia now works. It’s a space where science, policy, and lived experience collide, and where the stakes are high: the advice given can affect not just performance, but health, confidence, and career trajectories.

One size does not fit all

The stories of athletes like Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez, who competed eight months pregnant at the Olympics, and Azerbaijani archer Yaylagul Ramazanova, who competed at six-and-a-half months pregnant, captured global attention. Their participation sent a powerful message: elite athletic performance and pregnancy are not mutually exclusive. They showcased extraordinary dedication, resilience, and the ability to defy entrenched stereotypes about what pregnant athletes can achieve [or pregnant women as whole].

Yet, while these examples inspire, they also carry risks when presented without nuance. Sensationalist headlines and celebratory articles can create a misleading narrative that competing at an advanced stage of pregnancy is straightforward or universally achievable. Lamia cautions that such portrayals can inadvertently set unrealistic standards. “Maybe she felt comfortable, and that’s amazing,” she says. “But the risk is that everyone else will think, if she can do it, I can do it too—or that I’m expected to do it.”

Pregnancy is deeply individual. Some athletes experience uncomplicated pregnancies and can maintain high levels of training, while others face severe symptoms, complications, or conditions such as hyperemesis gravidarum, SPD, or other limitations that make intense training impossible. Lamia emphasizes the importance of recognizing these differences. “It’s about giving yourself grace,” she says. “Yes, activity during pregnancy benefits mental health, but if you’re forcing yourself to meet a standard that isn’t achievable for your body, that can be harmful. Every woman’s journey is different.”

The conversation highlights a broader tension in media coverage of women’s sports: celebrating groundbreaking achievements without oversimplifying the realities behind them. Stories of athletes balancing pregnancy and elite performance should be empowering, but they must also acknowledge the individual challenges and risks, avoiding the trap of creating one-size-fits-all expectations.

Closing the gap between performance and care

Dr. Zafrani works to bridge the gap between elite athletes and medical guidance. She notes a positive shift: around 70 percent of sports governing bodies now have female athlete welfare and maternity policies, up from far fewer in the past. Yet she warns that policy alone isn’t enough. “A policy is only as good as the people on the ground able to implement it,” she says. Without trained staff, adequate funding, and actionable guidelines, even well-intentioned frameworks remain largely symbolic.

Funding remains a key barrier. Women’s sports continue to lag behind men’s in investment, though events like the Women’s Euros and Rugby World Cup are attracting corporate interest, demonstrating the commercial value of female audiences. Research, too, has historically been lacking. Women were largely excluded from clinical trials until 1993, leaving gaps in evidence for exercise, training, and pregnancy. Dr. Zafrani highlights that emerging studies, even basic ones on exercise safety in pregnancy, are crucial for informing coaches and clinicians and empowering women.

She stresses the importance of representation in both research and policy. Athletes’ experiences vary widely, even between pregnancies, and each sport has different demands. Policies and guidelines must be flexible enough to accommodate individual differences, while staff must be trained to translate frameworks into tailored, practical support.

Embracing innovation and individualisation

Looking ahead, Zafrani is excited by the potential of technology. Wearables, AI, and personalised data could transform athlete care. “Imagine training, nutrition, and recovery protocols tailored to your individual biology—your blood markers, your hormones, your cycles,” she explains. “It’s not a magic solution; it’s the future of healthcare and performance.”

She emphasises, however, that technology will never replace human connection. “A doctor who knows you, your history, your challenges—AI can’t replicate that nuance. It’s about enhancement, not replacement.”

Advice for the next generation

For young women aspiring to careers in sports or women’s health, Zafrani offers both encouragement and realism. “Don’t let health barriers stop you from being active. Fight for the help you need. Systems are slowly changing, but we still need young girls to demand it.”

Her own journey as a mother, athlete, and clinician informs her advice. “Everything is a temporary season,” she says. “Training schedules, work-life balance, and family responsibilities shift. Flexibility and organisation are key. Ask for help when you need it, and accept that priorities will change.”

Lamia’s motivation is rooted in her values. “Empowerment, ethics, and justice guide my work,” she says. “Every project, every consultation, every athlete I advise reflects those principles.”

Her balance of career, motherhood, and sport is intentional. She views obstacles as temporary and adapts to the realities of life, maintaining perspective and persistence while staying grounded in what matters most.

A brighter future for women in sport

Women’s sport is experiencing unprecedented growth, but medicine and infrastructure remain behind. Dr. Zafrani’s work is helping to bridge that gap, creating safe, evidence-based pathways for pregnant athletes, active women, and elite performers alike. Her insistence on individualised care, mental wellbeing, and systemic advocacy is setting a new standard.

Achieving equity in sports health is not just about policy—it’s about understanding, flexibility, and valuing each athlete’s unique journey.

This conversation is part of Wempower’s new series Level the Playing Field, dedicated entirely to women in sport.  Each Monday, we publish a new story highlighting the women reshaping the world of sport — on and off the field. To read more inspiring stories of everyday women making a real difference in the world, be sure to check out the latest edition of Wempower magazine, or listen to our podcast.