ICC launches post-pregnancy guidelines for female players' return to top-level cricket

The guidelines recommend that boards appoint a dedicated case manager for each player, provide flexible training environments, childcare and travel support, and ensure access to medical and wellbeing services throughout the pregnancy and postpartum period. The move comes amid the growing professionalisation of women's cricket, with an increasing number of players choosing to start families during their playing careers.

Developed by the ICC Medical Advisory Committee and led by Australia women's team doctor Dr. Philippa Inge, the guidelines are designed to help member boards create their own pregnancy and return-to-play policies in accordance with local legislation while prioritising player welfare.

At the centre of the framework is a six-stage return-to-play model - Ready, Review, Restore, Recondition, Return and Refine - which outlines a gradual progression from post-birth recovery to a return to competitive cricket and ongoing monitoring thereafter.

Among the key recommendations is the appointment of a dedicated case manager, typically a doctor or physiotherapist, to act as the primary point of contact throughout a player's pregnancy and return-to-play journey. The case manager would coordinate support services, oversee reviews and help ensure that decisions remain focused on the wellbeing of both mother and baby.

The document shared by the ICC also recommends regular player management meetings at key stages, including when a player announces her pregnancy, during the third trimester, six to eight weeks after childbirth and at four-week intervals once she begins reintegrating into the cricket environment.

The guidelines state that the decision to announce a pregnancy should rest entirely with the player and that boards should not mandate pregnancy testing. While exercise during pregnancy is strongly encouraged, training and competition decisions should be individualised and made in consultation with medical professionals.

Although the document recommends players cease competing after the first trimester, it stresses there is no fixed gestational age at which participation must end. These decisions need to be made by the player alongside her treating doctors and cricket medical staff.

Dr. Inge said the objective was to demonstrate that motherhood need not signal the end of a cricket career. "The ICC's Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines are designed to show players that having a baby doesn't need to be the end of their career, and what we're aiming to do with this policy is allow Member nations to facilitate the return to cricket for their players.

"We know that many Members haven't necessarily had these in the past, and the aim has been to make them adaptable for the unique environments in which our Members need to use them. The guidelines serve as a template for Members, and strong support for an athlete returning to cricket post-pregnancy needs to be individualised to the specific needs of them and their family."

West Indies spinner Afy Fletcher, who returned to international cricket after giving birth to her son in 2021 and is currently featuring at the Women's World Cup, welcomed the move.

"I think it's really good that the ICC is giving cricket boards policies to look after women after pregnancy," Fletcher said. "It gives you a chance to have your family and then return, so I think that's one of the best things they could have done for women's cricket."

Reflecting on her own experience, Fletcher added: "Physical recovery was challenging but, more than that, I struggled to leave my child and miss creating precious moments. That's why every moment I play on the field is driven by him. Every player's journey is different, but you have to have strong support, get healthy and trust the process."

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