Young women are more active in sports than ever – and more visible.  Think: Naomi Osaka on the tennis court, Caitlin Clark playing hoops or Mikaela Schifrin on the slopes. And overall, young women’s participation in sports continues to increase. 

But female athletes face different health challenges than their male counterparts. They may grapple with painful periods, and experience body image issues or eating disorders at a higher rate than male athletes.   

Now, a newly formed team of doctors at Children's Hospital Colorado hopes to change that. The hospital’s Female Athlete Program transforms the way middle and high school girls train, compete, and manage their physical and mental health. That often means talking honestly about hormones. 

Dr. Lauryn Roth, one of the program’s founding physicians, specializes in pediatric and adolescent gynecology. She works alongside sports medicine physician Dr. Aubrey Armento. They joined Erin O’Toole to discuss how the program works – and how their own experience as teenage athletes shaped how they treat young women today.   

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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
 
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.