Obese and nonobese postpartum women: complications, body image, and perceptions of the intrapartal experience

Obesity continues to be a major health problem. The purpose of this descriptive study was to ascertain if differences existed between obese and nonobese postpartum women in relation to obstetric complications, body image, and perceptions of the intrapartal experience. In this study, obesity was found to be a significant predictor of pregnancy-induced hypertension. Additionally, as obesity becomes more pronounced, the likelihood of pregnancy-induced hypertension increased and body image became more negative. Perceptions of the intrapartal experience were not altered by obesity, however.