The 35-year-old from Manchester is due to give birth on June 23, but has told BBC Sport that she is aiming to retain the C5 Time Trial and Road Race world titles that she won in Denmark two years ago just two months after her due date.

"It's a possibility," said the six-time Paralympian, who has won 16 Paralympic swimming medals, including five gold, and six Paralympic cycling gold medals over a glittering career.

"It's there on the calendar.

"If I can find enough time to train to be in good enough shape to defend my world titles, then obviously I will."

The announcement of the British squad for the World Championships is expected to be made shortly after the World Cup event on June 14 until 16 in the Spanish city of Segovia; around the time of Dame Sarah's due date.

"I'll need to decide three or four weeks before, so we'll see what sort of shape I'm in," she said.

Dame Sarah Storey won four gold medals at London 2012, taking her total of Paralympics medals to 22 overall in swimming and cycling

The Paralympic veteran is also debating a return to non-disabled cycling after competing at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and being dropped from the team pursuit squad just months before London 2012, but has maintained that she is not feeling the pressure, with qualification for her potential seventh-straight Games not due to begin for well over a year.

"The longer you have out, the harder it is to get back," she said.

"Obviously, the baby comes first, and the sleeping and eating routine is going to be the priority.

"In 2007 I missed the Worlds on the road because I broke my collarbone in training, so this is a better excuse.

"But I will definitely get back to track cycling over the winter so I'm prepared for the next racing season on the road, and then we'll have a look at whether I go back into the team pursuit or not.

"The options are there and there's no pressure.

"Qualification for Rio doesn't start for 18 months so I've got plenty of time to get back into shape."

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