Pregnancy and sports a challenging combination for female professional athletes
By ANNA FURMAN
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Recent allegations by WNBA player Dearica Hamby that her coach harassed her for being pregnant have shined a renewed spotlight on one of the biggest challenges that female professional athletes face. Juggling the demands of parenthood with those of a professional sports career is just one of myriad challenges female athletes face in an industry rife with pay disparities, harassment and bullying. The athletes say things are slowly getting better as new work contracts include provisions for increased pay, maternity leave and child care stipends. But they also say that pregnant athletes continue to encounter attitudes ranging from ambivalent to outright hostile from leagues, coaches — and even fellow players.
