ArticleFrontiers in reproductive health2026
"You don't treat your skinny patients like this": a qualitative study of fertility care experiences among women with larger bodies and infertility.
Article in Frontiers in reproductive health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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6 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Prior studies show that people with larger bodies experience pervasive weight stigma, which is often directly perpetuated by healthcare providers. This pattern has also been observed in women receiving prenatal and postpartum care. Individuals seeking treatment for infertility commonly encounter concrete barriers, such as formalized BMI-based restrictions. These limitations may further compound the isolating and stigmatizing experiences already known to affect women with infertility. Methods: Qualitative study exploring the experiences and perceptions of patients with larger bodies and infertility. Women seeking fertility care within the past 2 years with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m Results: A total of 33 subjects were included in the analysis. Mean age of participants was 36.9 years. Key themes identified included stigmatizing treatment, perceptions of substandard care, complex body relationships, and quality care as an achievable goal. Many participants reported receiving shaming and judgmental care throughout their healthcare encounters including fertility care, which for several directly influenced their decision to pursue treatment. Participants often reported receiving abbreviated, substandard diagnostic evaluations that in many cases missed critical diagnoses. Participants conveyed significant awareness of the impact of weight on fertility and complex weight cycling histories, and this knowledge paired with these experiences often went unaddressed by providers. Conclusion: Consistent with the experiences of patients with larger bodies broadly, patients with infertility similarly report receiving stigmatizing treatment and perceived substandard care from their fertility providers. This potential harm to patients is not inevitable; participants report receiving quality care where providers offer humanizing and individualized care. There is a clear need for personalized and patient-centered treatment for this population of patients, that while marginalized, account for an increasing percentage of fertility patients.
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