Pregnancy brings many changes, both on the physical and psychological level. Some women are quite receptive to these changes, especially if they view them according to the criteria of modern society which - through numerous media messages - portrays a perfectly 'fit' physique that is particularly difficult to maintain, let alone obtain, especially during pregnancy. The aim of this thesis was to investigate how women experience the changes in their bodies during pregnancy and how people around them respond to these changes. Using a quantitative method (an anonymous online survey), I tested the hypotheses I had initially set out, with women between 27 and 45 years of age who had been pregnant in the last five years. I presented the results in graphs, tables and descriptive statistics. By the analysis I discovered that the majority of women respond relatively well to changes in their bodies during pregnancy, and that remarks from the people around them and health professionals are not as numerous as I had expected. However, the survey did significantly highlight a major deficit in the information provided by health professionals. A large number of women missed education on body changes, skin and body care, and especially information regarding the post-natal period.
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