Obesity in pregnancy: a study of the impact of maternal obesity on NHS maternity services. BJOG

Objective To gain a detailed understanding of healthcare professionals ’ perceptions of the impact that caring for obese pregnant women has on maternity services. Design Qualitative interview study using purposeful sampling and face-to-face interviews. Setting Sixteen maternity units in NHS Trusts in the North East Government Office Region of England, UK. Sample Thirty-three maternity and obstetric healthcare professionals with personal experience of managing the care of obese pregnant women. Methods Semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals representing each maternity unit in the region. Transcripts were analysed using systematic content analysis. Main outcome measures Views on the impact maternal obesity has on maternity services, the facilities required to care for obes