Body image distortion in pregnancy: A pilot study of the effects of media images

Abstract

Pregnant women are subject to an abnormal level of body size overestimation. Recent research has shown that such perceptual distortions are enhanced in women who are sensitive to their bodies (women who are eating-disordered or normal women who have abnormal attitudes to food and weight) by exposure to ‘real life’ pictures in fashion magazines. This small-scale pilot study examines whether the media's portrayal of the ideal woman's shape (as slim) affects pregnant women's body image distortion. The results suggest that pregnant women are affected by these media images, hut that the pattern of enhanced distortion changes throughout pregnancy. Potential further research and the clinical implications of these findings are discussed.