Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Nagpal, Taniya S.
• Nippert, Kathryn E.
• Velletri, Mia
• Tomiyama, A. Janet
• Incollingo Rodriguez, Angela C.

Titel

Close Relationships as Sources of Pregnancy-Related Weight Stigma for Expecting and New Mothers

Ist Teil von

• International journal of behavioral medicine, 2023-04, Vol.30 (2), p.297-303

Ort / Verlag

New York: Springer US

Erscheinungsjahr

2023

Quelle

EBSCOhost Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Background Experiencing weight stigma during pregnancy is detrimental to psychosocial health outcomes, including increasing maternal stress and undermining engagement in health behaviors. Guided by a recent socioecological framework, close interpersonal relationships are integral in pregnancy to facilitate healthy behaviors and protect maternal mental health, but they may also be sources that project weight stigma. The purpose of this study was to characterize weight stigma experienced during pregnancy and postpartum from close relationships including partners, immediate family, extended family, and friends. Method Women who were pregnant or up to 1 year postpartum completed a survey that assessed sources of weight stigma since becoming pregnant. A thematic analysis was performed to code open-ended responses to understand the lived experiences of pregnancy-related weight stigma experienced from close relations. Results Of the 501 women who completed the online survey, 157 indicated experiencing weight stigma from close relations. Average frequency of weight stigma from close relations was 1.83 (“less than once a month” to “a few times a month”). Weight-stigmatizing examples from close relations during pregnancy included negative assumptions about maternal or fetal health and maternal lifestyle behaviors based on weight gain; comparing women to pregnant body ideals; and making comments that resulted in women judging themselves poorly as a pregnant individual or mother. Conclusions Close relationships can be sources of pregnancy-related weight stigma. This may not only increase risk for adverse stigma-related consequences, but also could cut off the important benefits of maternal social support resulting in poor mental health outcomes and health behaviors.