Foster, CE and Hirst, J (2014) Midwives' attitudes towards giving weight-related advice to obese pregnant women. British Journal of Midwifery, 22 (4). 254 - 262. ISSN 0969-4900
Abstract
It is estimated that 1 in 5 pregnant women are obese, this poses a significant risk to maternal, fetal and newborn mortality and morbidity and as such, maternal obesity is recognised as a challenge for contemporary and prospective maternity services. As key practitioners in maternity care, midwives are seen as frontline professionals delivering weight-related advice to obese pregnant women. This study aimed to explore midwives' attitudes towards offering obese pregnant women weight-related advice during pregnancy and the puerperium. Nine midwives were interviewed using an in-depth interview schedule. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's (1978) seven-stage thematic approach. Midwives' knowledge of risk associated with maternal obesity was good; advice giving was mainly confined to community practice; the amount and consistency of advice was determined by: women's responses, women's apparent motivation to change and midwives' self-perception as a role model. Four key themes emerged: challenges for practice; perceived proficiency; advice giving skills and midwives' perceived relationship with a woman. Midwives need to address personal issues around body image, as they appear to hinder advice giving, before they can develop effective communication techniques to be able to offer obese pregnant women weight-related advice. The recommendation is to investigate ways in which issues of body image influence midwives ability to offer weight-related advice.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2014, MA Healthcare Ltd . This is an author produced version of a paper published in British Journal of Midwifery. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Healthcare (Leeds) > Midwifery (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 10 Dec 2014 10:25 |
Last Modified: | 20 Apr 2015 14:37 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2014.22.4.254 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | MA Healthcare Ltd |
Identification Number: | 10.12968/bjom.2014.22.4.254 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:81693 |