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Objective To examine the experience of women with a pre-pregnant BMI >30 kg/m2, in their encounters with healthcare professionals during pregnancy. Design Qualitative study using a phenomenological methodology approach. Setting Face-to-face interviews with pregnant women in their own home who were referred from their general practitioner to specialist antenatal follow-up at their local hospital. Sample Sixteen women with pre-pregnant BMI >30 kg/m2. Methods Qualitative in-depth interviews. Participant's experiences of their encounters with health care professionals were recorded verbatim, transcribed and analysed using a phenomenological approach . Results Two main themes were identified, an accusatorial response from healthcare professionals and a lack of advice and helpful information on how being obese and pregnant might affect the women's health and that of their child. Conclusions Pregnant women with obesity may experience prejudice from healthcare professionals. These women felt they were treated with a lack of respect, an accusatorial response, and the feeling that information which could have been helpful was not forthcoming. Communication between obese pregnant woman and healthcare professionals appears to be lacking. Improved training in communication skills, less judgemental behaviour and better dissemination of information from healthcare professionals working with pregnant women with obesity are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Material and Methods Results Conclusions Obstetric violence, or mistreatment of women in obstetric care, can have severe consequences such as fear of future childbirth, post‐traumatic stress disorder, and depression.The primary objective was to estimate the prevalence of obstetric violence in high‐income countries. The secondary objective was to extract the main domains of obstetric violence perceived by women from qualitative studies. Following prospective registration (PROSPERO CRD42023468570), PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched with no restrictions. Included studies were cross‐sectional, cohort, mixed methods, and qualitative studies based on populations from high‐income countries. The review was conducted by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed. Rates of obstetric violence were pooled using random effects model, computing 95% confidence intervals (CI) and assessing heterogeneity using I2 statistic. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to detect potential reporting biases and small‐study effects.Of the 1821 records screened, 25 studies were included: 14 quantitative and 2 mixed methods studies, comprising 60 987 women, and 9 qualitative studies were included, comprising an additional 4356 women. 81.25% of quantitative studies, including the quantitative component of the mixed methods studies, were considered satisfactory or better regarding risk of bias. The prevalence of obstetric violence was overall 45.3% (95% CI 27.5–63.0; I2 = 100.0%). The prevalence of specific forms of mistreatment was also estimated. Lack of access to analgesia was 17.3% (95% CI 6.9–27.7; I2 = 99.7%). Ignored requests for help was 19.2% (95% CI 11.7–26.6; I2 = 99.0%). Shouting and scolding 19.7% (95% CI 13.0–26.4; I2 = 98.7%). The use of fundal pressure during the second stage of labor (Kristeller maneuver) was 30.3% (95% CI 22.1–38.5; I2 = 97.6%). There was no funnel asymmetry. Lack of information and/or consent were the most frequent domains extracted from the qualitative articles and the qualitative component of the mixed methods studies.The results demonstrate that obstetric violence is a prevalent problem that women in high‐income countries experience. Lack of information and/or consent were the domains most frequently described in the qualitative studies and the qualitative component of the mixed methods studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]