Lausanne, Oct 3 (IANS): The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has convened a three-day seminar here as it believes that there is a need for a better understanding of pregnancy and motherhood among elite athletes.

The conclusions of these discussions, with the participation of 16 leading experts, will be published next spring in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and the IOC website, Efe reported.

The experts are trying to "consolidate for the first time their respective expertise and knowledge on these topics, review the existing data available and identify future areas of research.

"From busting myths to defining best practices and tackling frequently asked questions on the influence and management of pregnancy for an elite athlete, the objective of this IOC initiative is to produce comprehensive guidelines and recommendations on exercise during pregnancy and postpartum," the IOC said on its website on Friday.

The ultimate goal, according to the IOC, is to "produce comprehensive guidelines and recommendations on exercise during pregnancy and postpartum."