Table 4 Themes and categories illustrating women’s views in response to questions relating to resources accessed in choosing an anti-stretch mark product

Who knows best?

Friends and Family

… recommendations from friends who have been pregnant before … (Participant 2)

… one of my sisters used the [product name] and she found it great. (Participant 4)

… I have a couple of friends that are nurses and I would probably ask them as well if they used anything or they found anything good. (Participant 5)

...I purchased it [product name] as a gift from my good friend who became pregnant last year and she swore by it. She said it was fantastic so based on her recommendation... (Participant 6)

I have a family member who have used it before and she didn’t get any stretch marks and she felt that it worked really well. (Participant 8)

… I had heard friends say that they used it […] and they found it effective. (Participant 11)

...I am only going with what people told me so [...] family and friends telling me to apply the [product name] to the stomach. (Participant 12)

… my friends one of my friends recommended the [product name] [pause] stretch mark cream and I think that is kind of one just one girl recommended that but I didn’t get it because I had the other one already. I have the other ones already got … (Participant 14)

Retail and Advertising

… just from generally from shopping and seeing what’s on the shelves. (Participant 3)

I was going to go into Ever Green [Health food store] and ask them what they thought. (Participant 4)

...I would kind of do a bit of research just through the internet just to see on the maybe on the forums and that what people use and use that sound good. (Participant 5)

...I have seen ads on television for the oil as well. (Participant 8)

… advertisement of [product name] that it advertises that it helps like in prevention of stretch marks and maybe why I picked it as well. (Participant 11)

… it’s the pharmacist advised that I do it for no stretch marks … (Participant 12)

...I am […] big into natural products and I kind of I went to the Evergreen shop [Health food store] and I discussed that with the health care professionals there. (Participant 15)

...I have just started researching just at online reviews … (Participant 16)