Abortion doping refers to the rumoured practice of purposely inducing pregnancy for athletic performance-enhancing benefits, then aborting the pregnancy. Research suggests that hormonal and other changes during pregnancy do affect physical performance, with women producing a natural surplus of red blood cells during the first three months, increasing aerobic capacity. Perhaps the most notable documented case of an athlete gaining possible benefit from pregnancy was Norwegian distance runner Ingrid Kristiansen, who won the 1983 Houston marathon five months after giving birth.
Abortion doping
