Ms Jenny Cunningham
Contact
- Email: k2030248@kingston.ac.uk
- Location: St George's
- Faculty: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education
- School: Centre for Allied Health
- Department: Department of Midwifery
Research project: Understanding weight stigma and its impact on women's experiences of maternity care
Abstract
To better understand the experience of weight stigma as experienced by pregnant women with a raised body mass index (BMI) together with the attitudes and beliefs of staff towards people with a raised BMI.
The research objectives:
- To examine the liteature regarding the weight stigma experiences of pregnant and postnatal women with a raised BMI. this will be a synthesis of both qualitative and qualitative data ad will include the use of the social sciences databases.
- To use a qualitative methodology to investigate pregnant women's experiences of weight stigma - using one-to-one interviews. A stakeholder group will be established.
- To explore the choices women with a raised BMI make during pregnancy, particularly about the choice of place of birth. An on-line forum will be used.
- To survey midwives to discover attitudes to weight and existence of weight bias.
- To bring together the qualitative and quantitative elements.
- Research degree: PhD
- Title of project: Understanding weight stigma and its impact on women's experiences of maternity care
- Research supervisor: Dr Kirstie Coxon
- Other research supervisor: Dr Melania Calestani
Biography
I qualified as a midwife in 2007 and have worked both clinically and in research. I now work for the Royal College of Midwives as its Research Advisor.
Areas of research interest
- Pregnancy
- Raised body mass index
- Antenatal care
- Midwives
- Maternity services
Qualifications
- MSc Woman's Health, Plymouth University
- Dip HE Midwifery, Plymouth University
- BA (Hons) Education and Environmental Science, Froebel College, Roehampton
Funding or awards received
- Royal Devon & Exeter Foundation Trust - small grant scheme 2015
Publications
Cunningham, J, Goldsmith, L and Skirton, H (2014) The evidence base regarding the experiences of and attitudes to preimplantation genetic diagnosis in prospective parents, in Midwifery 31, pp. 288-296
Cunningham, J, Endacott, R, Gibbons, D (2018) The experiences of pregnant women with a raised Body Mass Index (BMI) regarding their communication with midwives and other healthcare professionals, in British Journal of Midwifery 26, 9