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After centuries of being labelled "the weaker sex", it turns out that women are officially as physically tough as men, new research has found.
Debunking archaic stereotypes that present females as damsels in distress, the study found that women who completed a trans-antarctic expedition fared similarly to what would be expected of men in terms of health.
The research, presented at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Glasgow, is the first to suggest that with the right training, women are not more susceptible to health problems than men in extreme physical conditions.
The study examined six British army soldiers who trekked across Antarctica In January.
The all-female team, dubbed the Ice Maidens, were the first to complete the 62 day-long journey, which involved 1,056 miles of trekking in high winds and low temperatures while carrying 80kg of equipment.
Each participant underwent extensive physical training prior to embarking on the expedition and various markers of their health were measured by a team of doctors, such as stress levels, body weight, reproductive and metabolic hormone levels and bone strength.
Upon completing the trip, researchers found that markers of reproduction function and bone strength were preserved and participants were still seeing exercise-related benefits, ie maintaining an increased level of physical fitness as a result of the expedition, two weeks later.
Major Natalie Taylor was one of the women on the expedition team.
Celebrating women across the world breastfeedingShow all 32 1 /32Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Britain Sammie, Emmanuella and Yideeda – home shoot.
Photography by Unicef
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Guinea-Bissau A woman, helped by her mother, breastfeeds her newborn baby in UNICEF-supported Canchungo Hospital, in the northern Cacheu Region of Guinea-Bissau.
Unicef/Zehbrauskas
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Ethiopia Mihret Breast feeds her 6 month old son Dawit at Kihen Health Post in Kilte Awlaelo Woreda Kihen Health Post implements Health, Nutrition, Hygiene and Sanitation programmes with UNICEF’s support targeted at building the capacity of the health system.
Unicef/Sewunet
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Sierra Leone Haja Isatu Bah who has delivered six children but lost two of them as a result of fever, poses for a photograph at her home in Waterloo Freetown, Sierra Leone. Haja Isatu Bah who has delivered six children but lost two of them as a result of fever, poses for a photograph at her home in Waterloo Freetown, Sierra Leone Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. Since 2010, UNICEF have supported the Government of Sierra Leone’s Free Health Care initiative for pregnant and lactating women, and children under five, reducing the number of child deaths. Through a partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone and UNICEF, the European Union since 2013 has been supporting the country’s efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the health sector. The aim is to reduce the country’s high levels of child and maternal mortality through multi-year investment in training, health workers, infrastructure, and the free health care initiative.
Unicef/Holt
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding China As a working mother, Fiona managed to breastfeed her baby for 28 months. “I made it because I learned correct knowledge of breastfeeding online, and also having a healthy baby makes me more confident. But the biggest support is what I got from my family.” She said. Fiona pumped at 10 o’clock in the morning and at 3 o’clock in the afternoon in the office storage room. She would then immediately send the breast milk to her father waiting downstairs. A few minutes later, her baby would enjoy her still warm milk.
UnicefF/Liu
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Indonesia Nanai, a ‘cadre’ (volunteer community health worker), chats with Sujilah, who is breastfeeding her 5-day-old infant in a room of the family’s home, in Dukuh Village.
Unicef/Ferguson
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Myanmar Zar Gyi, 26, of North Htan Kone village of Oaktwin Township, who works in the paddy field, breastfeeds her child during break time. A community-based ‘Communication for Development’ project to promote exclusive breastfeeding began implementation in 574 villages in Phyu and Oaktwin townships in 2010.
Unicef/Thame
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Niger Amina Garba breastfeeding her child.
Unicef/Tremeau
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Britain Gareth, Chantelle and baby Robbie - St Thomas’ Hospital.
Unicef/Jill jennings
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Ethiopia Asha Mohammed breastfeeds her 1-year-old son, Gemechisa Dawe, while standing in the vegetable garden she and her husband have owned for the past two years, in the village of Wolargi, in Gemechis. Ms. Mohammed has three other children. “Previously, I used to buy and use the vegetables from the market, but now I’m using [vegetables] from my garden. … I’m taking my child to the health post, and his weight is being measured every month. If his weight is decreasing, then I give him more of the proper foods, and I take him back to the health post. The reason why I planted the vegetables is for my child to be healthy, to gain weight and to have a brighter mind. The future that I want for my child is for him to go to school and be a good student and become a doctor. The message that I want to pass to [my] community … is to prepare balanced meals and provide it to their children, and this will prevent malnutrition.”
Unicef/Nesbitt
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Haiti 33 year old Saint Therese Petit cleans and cuts vegetables as as she breast feeds her 6 month old son Jean Philippe Darilius outside their house in Quicroit, an isolated village on the mountains south of Port au Prince.
Unicef/Dormino
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Bangladesh Sadia is breastfed by her mother Lovely at their home in Bhaluka, Mymensingh.
Unicef/Paul
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Uganda A mothers breast feeds her baby during Early Childhood Development activation in Kamuli district headquarters. Four districts in Busoga sub-region of Mid-Eastern Uganda were represented at the activation.
Unicef/Adriko
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Britain Elizabeth and Spencer Gabbe - St Thomas’ Hospital - “Spencer is a smiley, happy boy and is looking forward (I hope) to turning one next month! Breastfeeding wasn’t easy to begin with, but the assistance from the hospital and the borough (via the literature provided and the advice of midwives (home visits/milk spots)) made the process so much more manageable. I have continued support at my workplace (I resumed full time work at eight months) as there is a well maintained mother’s room for expressing mums.”
Unicef/Jill jennings
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Mongolia Mother Delgermurun Tsolomon, 32, sits in the middle and with baby Sugarmaa Batjargal surrounded by family. They live in a ger (a nomadic tent) in the Alag-Erdene area in Mongolia.
Unicef/Njiokiktjien VII Photo
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding South Africa Nonhlanhla Dubazane, 29, lives in eMalahleni, Mphumaleagna, South Africa. When Nonhlanhla discovered that she was both pregnant and HIV positive, she was frightened, but through antiretroviral treatment and uninterrupted breastfeeding, her son, Answer, now 6 months old, is healthy and HIV-free. Nonhlanhla is a single mother who works, so she must express her breast milk to feed Answer while she is away. It is not easy, she says, but it is worth it.
Unicef/Schermbrucke
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Mexico Gabino helps drying his wife's hair while she breastfeeds their newborn baby girl at the Zongolica IMSS Prospera hospital in Mexico.
Unicef/Zehbrauskas
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Britain Joanne, Samuel and baby Noah - St Thomas’ Hospital.
Unicef/Jill jennings
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Nepal Pooja, 27, breastfeeds her newborn baby at the UNICEF-supported Patan Hospital.
Unicef/Page
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Mali Mama Yeleen Fatoumata Ouattara leads a group session with women to raise awareness of the importance of prenatal health visits and other matters related to health in Baraouéli village, Ségou Region, Mali, Tuesday 6 February 2018. The Mama Yeleen initiative, which is promoted and supported by UNICEF and its partners, trains women to act as model mothers in early childhood development (ECD) and good nutritional practices, educating parents about best practices for the welfare of mothers and their children.
Unicef/Keita
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Thailand Amugpote watches his wife Kiengmachu breastfeed their baby girl named Nam (which means water), at Lerdsin Hospital, Bangkok.
Unicef/Zehbrauskas
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Uzbekistan Gulonur Bekbosinova breastfeeds her one-day-old newborn, Arman, assisted by a nurse, in the city of Khujayli’s hospital, in the Karakalpakstan Region.
Unicef/Pirozzi
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Kenya Susan Ateka, a community health worker supported by Concern, UNICEF’s implementing partner, visits Maximila and her daughter at her home in Mukuru, Nairobi. Maximila lives in a small 10 by 10 feet flat with her husband Martin, her two children as well as her younger sister and her child. Martin works as a casual construction worker. Work is hard to come by and when he does work, he earns between 300 to 500 Kenyan Shilling per day. Their accommodation costs 3000 Kenyan Shilling per month, not including utilities such as gas, water and electricity. “I will exclusively breastfeed Gloria for six months. I know I cannot give her anything but breast milk, not even water. That will make her sick. My milk has everything she needs,” says Maximila.
Unicef/Noorani
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Ghana A nursing mother breastfeeding her baby.
Unicef/Takyo
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Romania A woman cradles her newborn in the Pantelimon Maternity Hospital, in Bucharest, the capital. The hospital participates in the UNICEF-endorsed Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, which promotes breastfeeding, a vital source of nutrition for infants and a powerful bonding activity for women and their babies. One result of the programme has been a decline in the number of infants placed in alternative care.
Unicef/Holt
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Nepal In the remote Bijulidanda village of Amppipal VDC of Gorkha district, UNICEF's social mobiliser Mina KC helps to educate young new mothers about proper breastfeeding.
Unicef/Shrestha
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Britain Leonie and friends in Lloyd Park, Walthamstow, August 2017 - Four East London mums enjoy support and company while being out and about with their babies. Leonie Brown, mum of 2, says, “It really helps in the early days to meet up with other mums so you can swap stories and tips with people in the same boat as you, especially about breastfeeding. Having support out and about when you’re starting to breastfeed in public is also really helpful.”
Unicef/Jill jennings
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Sierra Leone A woman breast feeds her child in the village of Old Meima, Kono district, Sierra Leone .
Unicef/Asselin
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Samoa Christina breastfeeds her newborn son Christopher Victory in the maternity ward of Western Samoa National Hospital in Apia.
Unicef/Pirozzi
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Sierra Leone Zainab Kamara, supported by her mother, breastfeeds one of her twin sons in Karineh Village in Magbema Chiefdom, Kambia District. The community health worker in the village is among the estimated 15,000 in the country helping to bringing life-saving health services to their communities.
Unicef
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding Sierra Leone Fatu Kamara, supported by Community Health Worker Bai Kamara, breastfeeds one of her sons outdoors. Ms. Kamara, who gave birth in Kambia Government Hospital, initially went to Worreh Community Health Post as soon as she went into labour but was quickly transported to the Hospital when nurses at the health post determined that she needed surgery. “I am glad that I allowed Bai to persuade me to go to the health facility. Who knows what might have happened if [I] would have been stubborn and not listen? [sic] I and my sons would have been history by now,” Ms. Kamara said. “Bai visited me a couple of times when I was pregnant,” she continued. “During those visits, we talked about the importance of going for antenatal care, giving birth at the hospital, sleeping under a bednet, personal hygiene and the types [of food that] I should eat. My sons and I are alive today because I listened to him and went to the health centre as soon as I went into labour.”
Unicef/Phelps
Celebrating women across the world breastfeeding India Sumi Madhi a volunteer, on child feeding, nutrition and care interacts with mothers in Kudada, India.
Unicef/Vishwanathan
“We did very well,” the Wales-based medical officer said at the Defence Medical Innovation Conference in Birmingham in October.
"Physiologically we coped very well, so our bones were as strong as we left. Our hormones, there was a little dip but within two weeks our hormones were back to normal which is really good.”
Taylor added that while she and her comrades lost fat, they didn’t lose any muscle on their trip.
The study was led by Dr Robert Gifford from the University of Glasgow and colleagues from the University of Edinburgh and the Royal Centre for Defence.
"Our findings contain some potentially myth-busting data on the impact of extreme physical activity on women,” Gifford comments.
“We have shown that with appropriate training and preparation, many of the previously reported negative health effects can be avoided."
The evolutionary biologist added that the results could be useful in shedding light on how men and women differ in terms of coping with more everyday scenarios, such as working life.
"These findings could have important relevance for men and women in arduous or stressful employment, where there is concern that they are damaging their health,” he continues.
“If an appropriate training and nutritional regime is followed, their health may be protected."
The research comes one month after defence secretary Gavin Williamson announced that all roles in the British military are now open to women for the first time in history .
After the Ice Maidens had completed their trip, Williamson issued an official congratulatory statement , praising them as "heroic" and "formidable".
"They are an inspiration to us all and are role models to young people across the country," he continued.
"They truly demonstrate why the British Armed Forces are the best in the world, and show that with hard work, courage, and determination anything is possible. We are immensely proud of them and what they have achieved."
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