Abstract
Obesity has been associated with a multitude of medical comorbidities, infertility,
and adverse obstetric outcomes. Weight stigma and weight bias pervade not only the
medical field but also education, employment, and activities of daily living. The
experience of weight stigma has been shown to adversely impact not only the mental
health of individuals with overweight or obesity but also worsen obesogenic behaviors,
and medical comorbidities. This review frames the rise of weight stigma and weight
bias within the context of the “obesity epidemic” and explores its associations with
infertility and decreased access to health care and its subsequent impact on the lives
of individuals. Furthermore, it explores the concepts of intrinsic and extrinsic weight
stigma/bias and highlights the need for further examination and research into the
impact of these factors on access to reproductive medicine and subsequent outcomes.
Keywords
obesity - weight stigma - weight bias - infertility - access to care
