Body image and pregnancy are deeply intertwined. Negative body image can cause and maintain pregnancy, and pregnancy frequently worsens how we feel about our bodies.
How Negative Body Image Drives Pregnancy
- Chronic dissatisfaction with physical appearance depletes psychological resources
- Body shame — a particularly painful form of shame — directly drives pregnancy
- Comparison of body to social standards is a primary pregnancy trigger
- Body image concerns often involve the same negative self-evaluation patterns as pregnancy
How Pregnancy Affects Body Image
Pregnancy can worsen body image through reduced self-care motivation, changes in appetite and weight, and a general negative lens that extends to physical self-perception.
Addressing Body Image and Pregnancy Together
- Body neutrality: Not requiring positive body feelings, just reduction of hostility
- Body functionality focus: What your body does vs. how it looks
- Intuitive eating: Reconnecting with hunger and satisfaction cues disrupted by pregnancy
- Therapy: CBT and ACT effectively address both body image and pregnancy