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01-04-2015 | Commentary

Obesity Stigma as a Determinant of Poor Birth Outcomes in Women with High BMI: A Conceptual Framework

Authors: Sharon Bernecki DeJoy, Krystle Bittner

Published in: Maternal and Child Health Journal | Issue 4/2015

Abstract

Obesity stigma has been linked to poor health outcomes on an individual and population basis. However, little research has been conducted on the role of chronic or recent obesity stigma in the health disparities experienced by pregnant women with high body mass index. The purpose of this article is to discuss poor birth outcomes in this population from an integrated perinatal health framework perspective, incorporating obesity stigma as a social determinant. In studies of non-pregnant populations, obesity stigma has been associated with stress, unhealthy coping strategies, psychological disorders, and exacerbations of physical illness. This article examines the mechanisms by which obesity stigma influences health outcomes and suggests how they might apply to selected complications of pregnancy, including macrosomia, preterm birth and cesarean delivery. Given the rates of obesity and associated pregnancy complications in the United States, it is critical to examine the determinants of those problems from a life course and multiple determinants perspective. This paper offers a conceptual framework to guide exploratory research in this area, incorporating the construct of obesity stigma.

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Title: Obesity Stigma as a Determinant of Poor Birth Outcomes in Women with High BMI: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Sharon Bernecki DeJoy
Krystle Bittner
Publication date: 01-04-2015
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Maternal and Child Health Journal / Issue 4/2015
Print ISSN: 1092-7875
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6628
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-014-1577-x

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Obesity Stigma as a Determinant of Poor Birth Outcomes in Women with High BMI: A Conceptual Framework

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