Weight Stigma in Gynecological Care Among Cisgender Women

Healthcare is one of the primary contexts in which people experience weight stigma (social devaluation due to body weight), especially in gynecological care, where people's bodies are exposed. Thus, people may feel especially vulnerable to negative evaluations from healthcare providers due to their weight, given the physical exposure which accompanies a breast exam, abdominal palpitations, and a pap-smear or cervical exam. The existing literature examining weight stigma in obstetrics and gynecology has focused almost exclusively on pregnant or postpartum women. The only research on weight stigma during routine gynecological care is based on qualitative studies with small samples.

Participants (N = 1087; cisgender women) were sampled on Qualtrics, and quotas were set to reflect the most recent US census. The women reported their experiences with gynecological care and then were asked to qualitatively describe what they most recently encountered.

Overall, 14% of the women in this sample had experienced weight stigma in reproductive or gynecological care at least once, and about 5% of this sample reported that this occurred frequently. Participants with higher body weights (≥ 30 kg/m²) were more likely to report frequent weight stigma in gynecological care. A few participants reported more serious experiences, such as misdiagnosis, environmental or systemic weight stigma, and provider reluctance to perform a pelvic exam.

Women experience weight stigma in routine gynecological care, and future research should continue investigating the effects of these experiences.