School of Health & Sort Sciences, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2024 May 3;19(5):e0302599. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302599. eCollection 2024.
Women are advised to optimise weight before pregnancy. However, many are either already living with overweight or obesity prior to becoming pregnant, increasing the risks for adverse outcomes. Health care professionals (HCP) are responsible for advising women of risks throughout and following pregnancy. However, midwives often find broaching the conversation around maternal obesity difficult. This study explored the experiences of pregnant women living with obesity in accessing antenatal care. Seventeen women completed a semi-structured interview. Transcripts were analysed thematically. Four themes were developed: 1) antenatal care is inconsistent, 2) additional support is needed, 3) women feel judged about their weight, and 4) weight cycling is highly prevalent. Findings suggest that pregnant women living with obesity often experience weight bias from HCPs, feel judged because of their weight and are left feeling confused and overlooked. Women reported inconsistencies in advice and care offered and acknowledged a lack of continuity of care throughout pregnancy. We call for an urgent need for further multidisciplinary training to address the concerns, experiences and needs of pregnant women living with obesity.
建议女性在怀孕前优化体重。然而，许多女性在怀孕前已经超重或肥胖，增加了不良后果的风险。医疗保健专业人员（HCP）负责在整个怀孕期间和之后为女性提供风险咨询。然而，助产士在讨论产妇肥胖问题时常常感到困难。本研究探讨了肥胖孕妇在接受产前保健方面的经历。17 名妇女完成了半结构化访谈。对记录进行了主题分析。得出了四个主题：1）产前保健不一致，2）需要额外的支持，3）女性对自己的体重感到被评判，4）体重循环非常普遍。研究结果表明，肥胖孕妇经常受到 HCP 的体重偏见，因为体重而感到被评判，感到困惑和被忽视。女性报告说，提供的建议和护理不一致，并承认怀孕期间缺乏护理的连续性。我们呼吁迫切需要进一步的多学科培训，以解决肥胖孕妇的担忧、经验和需求。
