Psychometric evaluation of the body understanding measure pregnancy scale Chinese version for pregnant Chinese women

Body image perceptions of pregnant women in the third trimester in Turkey: A qualitative study

“…In a study conducted by Chang et al that examined the body image of women in their final trimester, findings indicated that changes in skin colour, breast enlargement, and the appearance of stretch marks on the abdomen all contributed to feelings of discomfort, self‐perceived unattractiveness, and concerns about not returning to their prepregnancy state 5 . The research underscores the correlation between body dissatisfaction during pregnancy and a range of unfavourable pregnancy‐related health outcomes, like prenatal depression and anxiety, weight gain, obesity, and maternal‐fetal issues 3,6–8 . Conversely, there are instances of women who find contentment in the breast and abdomen growth they experience during pregnancy 9 .…”

“…The quantitative body of literature concerning body image during pregnancy has made valuable contributions to the understanding of this topic 1,5 . However, due to the inherently subjective nature of the body image experience during pregnancy, accurately capturing pregnant women's thoughts and emotions regarding bodily changes proves challenging 3 . Furthermore, life experiences have an influence on one's body image perception 9 .…”

“…These physical transitions may evoke feelings of dissatisfaction with one's body, referring to the presence of adverse perceptions and feelings toward it. Such body dissatisfaction is not only about unfavourable appraisals of body proportions, contours, musculature, and mass but also the variance between an individual's self‐assessment of their body and the desired ideal physique 3 …”

“…5 The research underscores the correlation between body dissatisfaction during pregnancy and a range of unfavourable pregnancy-related health outcomes, like prenatal depression and anxiety, weight gain, obesity, and maternal-fetal issues. 3,[6][7][8] Conversely, there are instances of women who find contentment in the breast and abdomen growth they experience during pregnancy. 9 Furthermore, some women embrace the notion that birthing a child signifies a healthy body and welcome these bodily changes positively.…”

“…1,5 However, due to the inherently subjective nature of the body image experience during pregnancy, accurately capturing pregnant women's thoughts and emotions regarding bodily changes proves challenging. 3 Furthermore, life experiences have an influence on one's body image perception. 9 Consequently, qualitative investigations are considered necessary to identify the nuanced body image encounters of pregnant women.…”