Relationship Between Body Image and Women's Mental Health During Pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Psychological Medicine
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Background:

• Mental health issues during pregnancy pose risks to both mothers and infants.
• Research on the link between positive body image and maternal mental health is limited.
• Body image is a significant, yet understudied, factor in pregnancy mental health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between positive body image and mental health in Japanese women during the second trimester of pregnancy.
• To quantify the relationship between body appreciation and psychological distress in pregnant individuals.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study utilizing an internet-based questionnaire.
• Inclusion of 468 pregnant Japanese women in their second trimester.
• Assessment of positive body image using the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) and mental health via the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6).

Main Results:

• A higher BAS-2 score (positive body image) correlated with a reduced risk of psychological distress (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.50-0.84) and serious mental illness (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.47-0.97).
• This association was particularly strong in women who overestimated their body size.
• 59.2% and 14.3% of participants met the K6 cut-off values for psychological distress and serious mental illness, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Positive body image is significantly associated with lower risks of psychological distress and serious mental illness in the second trimester of pregnancy.
• Promoting positive body image may be a viable strategy for improving maternal mental health outcomes.
• These findings underscore the importance of body appreciation for mental well-being during pregnancy.