Addressing Weight Stigma in Prenatal Healthcare: Developing Patient- Informed Recommendations

Pregnant women with a body mass index >=35 kg/m2 are at risk for pregnancy complications that can impact both the mom and growing baby. Previous research suggests that women with a high BMI may experience weight stigma during their prenatal care appointments and this may lead to low compliance with healthcare provider recommendations and reduce the overall quality of care. This research will aim to understand sources of weight stigma and gather recommendations from pregnant women on how we can improve their prenatal care. This research will lead to the development of patient-informed recommendations for reducing weight stigma in prenatal care. Recommendations will be used by the partner organization, The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, to share with and educate healthcare providers on reducing weight stigma. By learning directly from pregnant women, we can increase patient-centred care during pregnancy and improve the overall quality of prenatal healthcare.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kristi Adamo

Student:

Partner:

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Ottawa

Program: