ePrints

How can maternity services be developed to effectively address maternal obesity? A qualitative study

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Nicola HeslehurstORCiD, Helen Moore, Professor Judith Rankin, Louisa Jane Ells

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

Objective: to identify developments in maternal obesity services and health-care practitioners' views on how maternity services need to be further developed to be more effective in the care of obese pregnant women. Design: follow-up qualitative study using purposive sampling, interviews and focus groups. Setting: 10 maternity units in the North East Government Office Region of England, UK. Participants: 30 maternity unit health-care practitioners with personal experience of maternal obesity services. Measurements and findings: semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with health-care practitioners representing each National Health Service trust in the region that provides maternity services to identify views on the barriers, facilitators, advantages and disadvantages of developing maternal obesity services, and how maternity services can be more effective in managing maternal obesity. Transcripts were analysed using thematic content analysis. Three dominant themes emerged: questioning maternal obesity service development; psychosocial issues and maternal obesity service development; and the way forward. Key conclusions: there has been a substantial improvement in the management of the health and safety aspects of maternal obesity over the last three years. However, more work is needed around the psychosocial issues, weight management and public health aspects of maternal obesity. Implications for practice: to meet the needs of obese pregnant women, maternity services should consider the transition of care between pregnancy and the postnatal period, improve communication between hospital and public health services, and develop services that will engage pregnant women to address their obesity. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Heslehurst N, Moore H, Rankin J, Ells LJ, Wilkinson JR, Summberbell CD

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Midwifery

Year: 2011

Volume: 27

Issue: 5

Pages: 170-177

Print publication date: 25/02/2010

ISSN (print): 0266-6138

ISSN (electronic): 1532-3099

Publisher: Churchill Livingstone

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2010.01.007

DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2010.01.007

Altmetrics

Share