Table 2 Summary of themes and categories

Themes

Categories

Theme 1: Awareness, beliefs and emotions about weight gain and weight management

1.1 Knowledge and awareness

1.2 Risk perception and decision balance

1.3 Perceived control over health and weight gain

1.4 Personal insecurities and sensitive nature of the topic

Theme 2: Antenatal healthcare

2.1 Interactions with healthcare professionals

2.2 Antenatal education and sources of information

Theme 3: Social and environmental influence

3.1 Influence of others, support and social norms

3.2 Social judgement and stigmatization

3.3 Environmental and sociodemographic factors