Call for midwife training on obesity

Friday June 4th, 2010

Pregnant women who are overweight need the same kind of support as has been used to persuade smokers give up, experts warned yesterday.

In spite of national guidelines being released recently, midwives say they do not know how to advise and talk to overweight women, a study found.

Researcher Dr Nicola Heslehurst from Teesside University said maternity units are coping better now with obese women who are pregnant - but staff are not tackling the problem of mothers being seriously overweight.

She said: "There has been intensive training on alcohol and drug misuse and smoking and domestic violence, but obesity is still seen as a very sensitive issue.

"Women don't want to be stigmatised or patronised because of their weight. They know they are obese and need support."

She added: "There are lots of obesity public health services out there that are not being targeted at pregnant women. There's a real lack of communication between public health services and maternity services, and there is no continuity of care in the transition from the woman being pregnant to postnatal."

Midwives, obstetricians and other specialists were interviewed for the research.

Another researcher Professor Carolyn Summerbell, of Durham University, said: "Pregnancy is a time when women expect to put on weight, so it's understandable that healthy weight gain in pregnancy is a difficult message.

"However, it does need to be talked about with women. The question for many midwives is how to do this sensitively and constructively, and knowing which support services to refer the women onto."

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published guidance on weight and fitness in pregnancy in February, warning women not to be tempted into "eating for two".

How can maternity services be developed to effectively address maternal obesity? A qualitative study. Midwifery June 2010

Tags: Childbirth and Pregnancy | Diet & Food | Fitness | Nursing & Midwifery | UK News | Women’s Health & Gynaecology

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