A content analysis of online blogs that suggest what is appropriate and inappropriate to say about bodies and weight during pregnancy

Abstract Experiencing weight stigma during pregnancy, such as unsolicited comments on physical appearance and weight gain, correlates with adverse mental health outcomes. This study investigated public perceptions of acceptable versus unacceptable comments about pregnant people’s bodies and weight. Qualitative data were gathered from publicly available English-language opinion blogs via Google search. The search strategy leveraged Google’s auto-suggested phrases for appropriate and inappropriate comments, with blogger demographics summarized. Seven blogs addressed appropriate comments, yielding 32 examples. Most (59.3%) endorsed compliments on appearance, including weight related ones implying minimal gain, like “you don’t look pregnant”. Conversely, 71 blogs covered inappropriate comments, identifying 111 examples. Notably, 40.5% explicitly deemed weight-specific remarks unacceptable. Blog authors were predominantly female and lacked reporting of professional credentials. These findings suggest that while weight-related comments in pregnancy are largely seen as inappropriate, endorsements of praise for limited weight gain or “not looking pregnant” reveal contradictions. Such patterns suggest entrenched body ideals favoring slimmer figures and restrained weight gain, potentially fueling weight-stigmatizing discourse and reinforcing stigma even in pregnancy when weight change usually occurs. These findings advocate for mitigating weight stigma in pregnancy by challenging societal norms of what constitutes an ideal pregnant body, and we offer suggestions for potential future public health or media strategies that may be an effective way to reach a wide audience.