title: Experiences of a lifestyle intervention in obese pregnant women - A qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to describe obese women's experiences of participating in a lifestyle intervention and its experienced impact on health and lifestyle.
  
  
  METHODS
  qualitative method with a phenomenological lifeworld approach. The interviews were analyzed in accordance with the phenomenological method.
  
  
  METHODS
  11 women who had participated in a lifestyle intervention project, targeting pregnant women with BMI ≥30 in southwestern Sweden, were interviewed a few weeks before delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the essence of these women's experiences was expressed as: implementing new habits required support, from midwives, partners, relatives, friends, or obese pregnant women in the same situation, or by participating in the intervention itself. The support had to be non-judgmental and with a balanced outlook on weight. Participation had taught them about weight gain control. The women were motivated to try to control their gestational weight gain, although not all of them were initially convinced that this would be possible. The essential structure of participation can be described with the following constituents: ''pregnancy encourages change'', ''to be supported by non-judgmental people'', ''from bad habits to conscious choices'' and; ''barriers to change''.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  in order to implement new habits, participants expressed a need for support, given with a non-judgmental attitude and a balanced outlook on weight. The women experienced that the lifestyle changes could be less burdensome than previously imagined, and that slight changes could yield unexpectedly successful results. In order to maintain a lifestyle change, obese women must perceive some kind of results, i.e. increased quality of life or weight gain control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  non-judgmental support from midwives is crucial. Affinity with other pregnant obese women in an exercise group or dietary group setting is supportive.
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care, Rehabilitation Olskroken, SE-41665 Göteborg, Sweden; Institute of Physiology and Neuroscience, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 430, SE-40530 Göteborg, Sweden. Electronic address: Karolina.Petrov.Fieril@liv.se.
authors.forename: DrKarolina Petrov
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Fieril
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology and Neuroscience, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 430, SE-40530 Göteborg, Sweden. Electronic address: monika.fagevik-olsen@vgregion.se.
authors.forename: ProfessorMonika Fagevik
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Olsén
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Obsterics and Gynecology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, SE-41605 Göteborg, Sweden. Electronic address: anna.glantz@vgregion.se.
authors.forename: DrAnna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Glantz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 457, SE-40530 Göteborg, Sweden; Primary Health Care, Research and Development Unit Närhälsan Gothenburg, Region of Västra Götaland SE-41118 Göteborg, Sweden. Electronic address: asa.premberg@vgregion.se.
authors.forename: Dr Åsa
authors.initials: DÅ
authors.lastname: Premberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004035:Diet Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D013548:Sweden
keywords: Lifestyle changes; Midwifery; Obesity; Phenomenology; Prenatal education; Women's health