The burden of discriminatory weight stigma for pregnant women in the workplace

The consequences of weight stigma for women across various stages of pregnancy can be extremely harmful and can oftentimes manifest into discrimination in the workplace.

A recent study at Monash University has revealed the prevalence of weight stigma across various societal facets, including the workplace. According to the study, weight stigma is particularly prevalent across the various stages of pregnancy – from preconception and pregnancy to the postpartum (PPP) periods – due to societal norms and expectations about weight and weight gain during the reproductive period.

“Preconception, pregnant and postpartum women experience weight stigma in almost all social domains, including fertility treatment, antenatal and postpartum healthcare, employment, education, media, the general public, from other mothers (i.e., their peers), and in romantic relationships,” said Dr Briony Hill, who led the study.

“And the consequences are significant with weight stigma towards women of reproductive age associated with psychological stress, avoidance of healthcare, reduced motivation to engage in healthy behaviours, and disordered eating contributes to further obesity.”

From the conducted study, Hill, along with PhD candidate Haimanot Hailu, developed a model called SWIPE (Stigma of Weight In the PPP Experience) that can provide organisations with a direct blueprint for dispelling weight stigma.

The program is aimed at addressing the areas where stigma is often formed and eventually manifests. These environments are characterised as places that reinforce societal norms that expect women to look a certain way both before and after pregnancy.

The perpetrators of this stigma are often fuelled by the mindset that body size is entirely under individual control.

“Preconception, pregnant and postpartum women often experience this in the form of receiving unwelcome stares from the public or social exclusion. It is also evident in the media by either lack of or inappropriate portrayal of PPP women living in larger bodies,” said Hill.

This stigma can directly lead to discriminatory acts. Moreover, discrimination against women based on their body size is often experienced via limited employment opportunities, as the report said.

According to Hailu, SWIPE can be a key program that dismantles this stigma that can result into discrimination.

“SWIP[E] informs the ‘who, what and how’ that can be targeted to eliminate weight stigma for PPP women,” she said.

“Eliminating weight stigma against PPP women both directly and indirectly improve psychological wellbeing, ensure equitable access to care, and encourage healthier behaviours – all of which contribute to improvement in the overall physical and mental health outcomes of PPP women and their children.”