The experience of women with an eating disorder in the perinatal period: a meta-ethnographic study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Rakime Elmir¹  Phillipa Hay²  Sarah Fogarty³  Virginia Schmied⁴ 

[1] Affiliate Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Centre for Applied Nursing Research (CANR);School of Medicine and Centre for Health Research, Western Sydney University;School of Medicine, Western Sydney University;School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University;

关键词: Pregnancy;    Eating disorders;    Anorexia nervosa;    Bulimia nervosa;    Perinatal;    Midwives;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12884-018-1762-9

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Pregnancy is a time of enormous body transformation. For those with an eating disorder during pregnancy this time of transformation can be distressing and damaging to both the mother and the child. In this meta-ethnographic study, we aimed to examine the experiences of women with an Eating Disorder in the perinatal period; that is during pregnancy and two years following birth. Method A meta-ethnographic framework was used in this review. After a systematic online search of the literature using the keywords such as pregnancy, eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, perinatal, postnatal and post-partum, 11 papers, involving 94 women, were included in the review. Results A qualitative synthesis of the papers identified 2 key themes. The key theme that emerged during pregnancy was: navigating a ‘new’ eating disorder. The key that emerged in the perinatal period was return to the ‘old’ eating disorder. Conclusion Following a tumultuous pregnancy experience, many described returning to their pre-pregnancy eating behaviors and thoughts. These experiences highlight the emotional difficulty experienced having an eating disorder whilst pregnant but they also point to opportunities for intervention and a continued acceptance of body image changes. More research is needed on the experiences of targeted treatment interventions specific for pregnant and postpartum women with an eating disorder and the effectiveness of putative treatment interventions during this period.

【 授权许可】

Unknown