Weight management during pregnancy: a qualitative thematic analysis on knowledge, perceptions and experiences of overweight and obese women in Singapore

Background: The effect of maternal weight on pregnancy and birth outcomes is of great public health concern. For example, overweight and obesity among pregnant women is associated with adverse reproductive health outcomes including gestational diabetes, birth defects, macrosomia and infant mortality. Objectives: To understand the knowledge, perceptions and experiences during pregnancy among overweight and obese women in Singapore. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study which employed qualitative techniques. The inclusion criteria is as follows: (1) Women who were overweight or obese before or during first trimester of pregnancy, (2) are able to report their specific pre-pregnancy or first trimester Body Mass Index (BMI), or weight and height, (3) had singleton pregnancy when overweight, are post-delivery for the pregnancy in which they were overweight, and (4) are 21 to 55 years old. Fifteen interviews were voice-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Then, two researchers independently performed the thematic analysis of the transcripts. Results: The findings revealed that women had gaps in knowledge on the adverse effects of maternal overweight and obesity during pregnancy, and various misconceptions on diet and weight management during pregnancy were prevalent. Conflicting data was obtained for perceptions on the importance, difficulty and levels of motivation for weight management during pregnancy. Conclusion: There is a pressing need to address knowledge gaps and misconceptions of pregnant women who are overweight or obese. The importance of weight management during pregnancy should be emphasized, and enabling factors put in place.