menstrual adjustment

The use of hormones (e.g. oestrogen and progesterone found in contraceptive pills) or their synthetic analogues, to adjust the time of menstruation in a female athlete so that important competition dates coincide with the time of maximum efficiency. Optimal performance varies between individuals. It is frequently in the pre-ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle (days 9-12) or post-ovulation phase (days 17-20), but some women perform best during menstruation.