title: Maternal obesity is the new challenge; a qualitative study of health professionals' views towards suitable care for pregnant women with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m².
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An increase in the number of women with maternal obesity (Body Mass Index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2) has had a huge impact on the delivery of maternity services. As part of a programme of feasibility work to design an antenatal lifestyle programme for women with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2, the current study explored health professionals' experiences of caring for women with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and their views of the proposed lifestyle programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews with 30 health professionals (including midwives, sonographers, anaesthetists and obstetricians) were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Recruitment occurred in two areas in the North West of England in early 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three themes were evident. Firstly, obesity was seen as a conversation stopper; obesity can be a challenge to discuss. Secondly, obesity was seen as a maternity issue; obesity has a direct impact on maternity care and therefore intervention is needed. Finally, the long-term impact of maternal obesity intervention; lifestyle advice in pregnancy has the potential to break the cyclic obesity relationship. The health professionals believed that antenatal lifestyle advice can play a key role in addressing the public health issue of obesity as pregnancy is a time of increased motivation for women with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal obesity is a challenge and details of the training content required for health professionals to feel confident to approach the issue of maternal obesity with women are presented. Support for the antenatal lifestyle programme for women with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 highlights the need for further exploration of the impact of interventions on health promotion.
authors.affiliation: The School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. debbie.smith-2@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Debbie M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lavender
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010820:Physicians; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior