Weight Bias in Midwifery

Behind every breakthrough in reproductive healthcare, a researcher is asking the right questions. More often than you think, that researcher is a midwife.Welcome to Speaking of Midwives, we are the official podcast of the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health where our host, Melissa Avery, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN leads conversations about evidence, innovations, and the future of midwifery science.Today, in our debut episode Melissa interviews Heather Bradford, PhD, CNM, FACNM, about weight bias in midwifery. Heather shares how she became interested in this topic and how weight bias affects the way we deliver care. The episode introduces our commitment to honest, unfiltered discussions about birth, reproductive justice, and the future of maternal health.Whether you are an expectant parent, a birth professional, or simply a believer in better care for all, this episode is your invitation to join the conversation as we begin Speaking of Midwives.More about Heather Bradford, PhD, CNM, FACNMLinkedin - @hmbmidwifeBradford HM, Puhl RM, Phillippi JC, Dietrich MS, & Neal JL. Weight bias in the perinatal period: An integrative review. Birth. 2025;52(2):189-206. Doi:10.1111/birt.12870Bradford HM, Puhl RM, Phillippi JC, Dietrich MS, & Neal JL. Weight bias among certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives: Findings from a national sample. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2024;69(3):333-341. Doi:10.1111/jmwh.13608Bradford HM, Puhl RM, Phillippi JC, Dietrich MS, & Neal JL. Implicit and explicit weight bias among midwives: Variations across demographic characteristics. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2024;69(3):342-352. Doi:10.1111/jmwh.13616Olson SM, Muñoz EG, Solis EC,Bradford HM. Mitigating weight bias in the clinical setting: A new approach to care. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2024;69(2):180-190. doi:10.1111/jmwh.13578Clip mentioned by Heather during the interview. James Cordon clip ⁠   • James Corden Responds to Bill Maher's Fat ...  ⁠