Elite athletes show they can perform after pregnancy – but how soon should they test their limits?

Beyond physical changes, some experts suggest that pregnancy may help athletes develop mental resilience and coping strategies, contributing to improved performance

A commentator's suggestion during Australia's opening Women's World Cup match that motherhood" had not blunted" midfielder Katrina Gorry's competitive instincts" drew widespread criticism.

Gorry, who later said she did not take the comment personally, is far from the first mother to come back to the highest levels of elite sport. Her post-pregnancy return is emblematic of a growing trend among female athletes, who overcome remarkable physical and psychological changes to continue their professional careers.