Women put off by pregnancy by body fears
A third of women are avoiding getting pregnancy due to worries about the changes it will cause to their weight and body, according to new research.
The study has revealed the fears British women have about getting pregnant and the reasons they mught delay having children, with a third stating that they are concerned about what changes pregnancy will make to their body.
Three quarter of women stated that they have and would actively avoid conceiving with their partner, even if they felt they were ready to have children. The top five concerns were revealed:
- I am worried about gaining weight and the changes to my body during the pregnancy
- I am concerned about taking maternity leave from my job
- I am concerned that my career will be affected by becoming a parent
- I am concerned that my social life / lifestyle will be affected
- I want to be in a financial position to be able to support myself and my children
In order to investigate the pressure on women to retain their pre-baby body after giving birth, respondents who identified this as a reason to put off getting pregnant were asked if they were more concerned about the changes to their weight and body during the pregnancy itself, or returning to their usual size and weight after giving birth. A third of the relevant women were concerned about their body during the pregnancy, whilst the remaining 68% stated that they were worried about returning back to their usual size after having their baby.
Celebrity mothers losing pregnancy/baby weight fast was cited as the biggest pressure for having to regain their pre-baby body, followed by friends and family members quickly losing weight after pregnancy and then pressure on themselves. What is surprising though, one in ten of these women stated that they felt pressure from their partner.
Sarah Bailey of UKMedix.com commented on the findings:
“There are some sensible reasons to put off having children, but fears about what it will do to your body certainly shouldn’t be in the top ten, let alone come out in first place! It’s outrageous that we live in a society where women have so much pressure to stay slim that they will put off huge life choices for fear of losing a socially acceptable figure!
“It’s about time we recognised the fact that women’s bodies are worth much more than a tag sewn into their clothes or number on the scales. Essentially, if a woman has just created a life, a few stretch marks or extra pounds are a very small price to pay; they should be seen as something to celebrate, if anything!”
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