Women's experiences of body change during normal pregnancy.

Abstract

During semi-structured interviews, pregnant women described and evaluated weight, appetite, activity and mood experiences. The data provided by 63 women who had normal pregnancy outcomes were coded and distributed according to (a) the time during pregnancy at which experiences were reported, and (b) whether body experiences were changing or stable, satisfactory or worrisome, and, for changing body experiences, whether the change was a gain or loss. Log-linear statistical procedures were used to analyze the 436 descriptions and evaluations. Study findings indicate that pregnancy is characterized by frequent and usually satisfactory body changes, and that body experiences vary in meaningful ways over the months of pregnancy.