Creating safer clinical spaces for pregnant patients with Dr. Cynthia Maxwell

🎙️This episode is sponsored by an unrestricted education grant from Eli Lilly Canada Pregnancy care should feel safe, respectful and supportive for every patient. But for pregnant patients living with obesity, clinical spaces can sometimes create anxiety before care even begins, from waiting room seating and equipment that do not fit, to conversations about weight, pregnancy risk and health that can feel stigmatizing. In this episode of Scale Up Your Practice, Dr. Cynthia Maxwell joins Dr. Roshan Abraham and Michelle McMillan to discuss how healthcare professionals can create safer, more equitable pregnancy care for patients living with obesity. She shares practical strategies to reduce weight bias in maternal care, communicate pregnancy risks without blame, ask permission around weighing, and build healthcare environments where patients feel physically and psychologically safe.

In this episode How to create safer pregnancy care for patients living with obesity Why respectful maternal care starts with language, trust and psychological safety How to talk about pregnancy risks, weight and health without blame or shame Why asking permission before weighing patients can help reduce weight bias How clinic design, equipment sizing and digital tools can affect patient safety Why inclusive, stigma-free care benefits patients, families and healthcare teams How healthcare professionals can build more welcoming clinical spaces across the full patient journey

Additional resources Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines: https://utm.guru/ussjg Chapter: Weight management over the reproductive years for adult women with obesity: https://utm.guru/ussjh Pregnancy Obesity Medicine Surgery (POMS) Fellowship Program with Dr. Maxwell: https://utm.guru/ussji

Become a Certified Bariatric Educator Today’s conversation is a good reminder that obesity care takes knowledge, compassion and a commitment to reducing stigma. For healthcare professionals with experience in obesity care, Obesity Canada’s Certified Bariatric Educator exam is one way to have that knowledge recognized and stand out in the field. The next CBE exam takes place on November 28, and applications must be submitted by November 2 to be eligible to write. Learn more and apply: https://utm.guru/ussjj

Learning objectives Apply patient-centered, people-first language to collaboratively communicate potential pregnancy risk factors and monitor health metrics, ensuring the patient does not feel blamed or stigmatized. Analyze the clinical environment—from waiting room seating to the sizing of medical equipment like blood pressure cuffs, speculums, and ultrasound limitations—to identify and resolve physical barriers that compromise patient safety and comfort. Evaluate how systemic weight bias and scale aversion negatively impact maternal healthcare, and implement compassionate strategies to foster a more inclusive, welcoming hospital and clinic experience for expectant mothers.

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Disclosures This episode script was developed using NotebookLM to synthesize complex source materials into a structured educational format. The tool was used to analyze the Canadian Obesity Education Competencies (COECs), the Obesity Canada Strategic Plan, and guest-specific research. Specific prompts were utilized to extract relevant learning objectives, map them to CanMEDS roles, and generate competency-based interview questions. While NotebookLM assisted in drafting the narrative arc and educational framework, all content has been reviewed, fact-checked, and refined by the podcast hosts and Obesity Canada's clinical experts. This ensures the script aligns with current Clinical Practice Guidelines and authentically represents the lived experience perspective.