Grand Prix institutes new pro-motherhood policy for athletes

Life Time’s new pregnancy initiative for Grand Prix athletes, permitting women who become pregnant after selection to postpone their place to the following year without penalty, is a recognition that motherhood shouldn't be regarded as a career-undermining event.

The Backstory:

As Cycling Weekly aptly put it in a 2023 article:

[I]t is an inconvenient fact for female athletes that the years of peak physical performance just so happen to coincide with the years of peak fertility… For decades, the choice for female cyclists keen to become parents seemed clear: choose your career, or a family.

In comments cited by the same 2023 article, Olympic and World champion Elinor Barker, who is also a mother, said: 

"I know that ten years ago it wouldn't really have occurred to many people that they’d be able to carry on [after becoming pregnant]. I think that has probably happened for some riders - they’ve stopped not because they wanted to but because they didn't really have the options."

The Details:

Life Time recently introduced its new pregnancy policy for its Grand Prix series, after seasoned gravel racer Sarah Sturm — twice a podium finisher in the series — revealed that she is pregnant and will be withdrawing from competition this year.

Based on Life Time’s new policy, athletes handpicked for the Life Time Grand Prix who become pregnant may step out of the series, while preserving their place on the roster for the next season. The pregnancy policy applies for just one more season; if the athlete fails to return during that period, she forfeits that guaranteed roster spot.

“I am so excited to announce this very big news,” Sturm wrote on Instagram.

“When I got pregnant my first call was to the Life Time Grand Prix to figure out what to do. This sparked a whole conversation and with the hard work of the people at Life Time we now have a pregnancy policy.” 

These recent developments are welcome, as contemporary culture has too frequently regarded motherhood and career aspirations as mutually exclusive life goals. 

However, Life Time’s recent move is a good step in the right direction, communicating the message that pregnancy is not and should not derail a woman’s ambitions, and that a woman’s aspirations as an athlete do not have to be forfeited or disappear when she becomes a mother.

The Big Picture:

At times, the realm of elite sports can appear like the last place to affirm motherhood, as it is dictated by performance, schedules, and physical demands. That's why the Grand Prix's decision is so monumental.

“This is a big deal for women in the Grand Prix and for women in sport," Sturm said. "There is so much uncertainty as an athlete, especially as a female. This policy shows us respect and trust that we are capable of continuing our careers even after we have children. Of course, we know that’s possible as women, and now we have the support from the biggest off-road race series in America."

Promoting motherhood and childbirth is not merely about talk, but about constructing environments that facilitate and celebrate family life. Pro-family policies are not about forcing women into one version of motherhood, but about eradicating the obstacles to motherhood and family life, and enabling motherhood to blend with work or public accomplishments. 

Providing a welcoming environment for mothers in women’s sports can spur other institutions to contemplate more about how they treat pregnancy, fertility, and motherhood. 

For instance, the Australian proposals outlined by a 2025 article in The Guardian suggest safeguarding pay, rankings, and career acknowledgements so women are not forced to choose between their careers and children.

Although Life Time’s move will not solve every challenge that motherhood entails, it is a step in the right direction to create cultural change.

The Bottom Line:

The best societies do not force women to choose between career excellence and motherhood, but create conditions towards a world in which both can thrive.