Pregnant women's experiences with maternity caregivers when advised to limit gestational weight gain

The escalating rate of overweight and obesity is a global issue contributing to increasing numbers of overweight and obese women in pregnancy. Obesity in pregnancy increases the risk for adverse complications for both mother and baby. This small qualitative study describes the experiences of pregnant women, who were considered by their maternity care provider to be overweight or obese and the degree to which they felt that they had been treated differently. The study was conducted using a descriptive qualitative method using in-depth interviewing to record participants' experiences. Online anonymous participation via online forum discussions was the main source of participants with only one woman agreeing to a face-to-face interview. Thematic analysis and generic coding processes were employed resulting in four main themes. Findings from this study illustrated the extent to which these women were exposed to stress and anxiety associated with being labelled as being high risk and consequently being treated differently to other healthy pregnant women. Continuity of maternity care was the source of more positive experiences where women felt safe and supported. A one size fits all approach to the use of medical technology in pregnancy and labour should be questioned in light of the experiences reported by the women in this study.