Eating disorders and pregnancy

Yes — people with eating disorders (or who have experienced an eating disorder in the past) can get pregnant. Eating disorders can affect fertility - some eating disorders can make it harder to conceive due to changes in your body and hormones. But pregnancies can still occur.

If you’re thinking about getting pregnant and are worried about fertility or the risks involved, it’s a good idea to talk to your GP, especially if you've had an eating disorder for a long time. They can help you plan and make sure you get the right support in place. Your GP may decide to do some tests to check your hormone levels.

Eating disorders can affect both your health and your baby’s health. But with the right help, many people go on to have healthy pregnancies.

There are possible risks associated with eating disorders during pregnancy and the postnatal period that can affect you such as:

• miscarriage
• labour complications
• low energy or fainting
• poor nutrition and dehydration
• problems with your heart
• high blood pressure
• gestational diabetes
• postnatal depression
• breastfeeding challenges

You should be regularly monitored and supported, either by your midwife or your GP, through pregnancy and the postnatal period.

There are risks associated with eating disorders and pregnancy that can affect your baby such as:

• intrauterine growth restriction (baby not growing as they should)
• preterm birth (when the baby is born before they are fully developed)
• having a low birth weight
• being large for gestational age (on or above 90th percentile)
• feeding or breathing problems
• long term developmental problems or delays

Your midwife will regularly monitor your baby, and you may be referred to a specialist for further support and monitoring during your pregnancy.

The perinatal period (the period while pregnant and up to a year after birth) can trigger a current or previous experience of an eating disorder.

For people who are pregnant, an eating disorder may develop (or reappear) for a variety of reasons, such as:

• feeling out of control with their rapidly changing body
• concerns about gaining weight
• people making comments about their changing size and shape
• morning sickness which may involve vomiting or food aversions
• increase in appetite and cravings which may cause binges
• developing gestational diabetes in pregnancy which involves checking your blood sugar levels and controlling your diet
• hormonal changes

For people who are postpartum, an eating disorder may develop (or reappear) at this time for a variety of reasons, such as:

• body image concerns, societal pressure to “bounce back” and lose the baby weight
• postnatal depression
• loss of control, feeling stressed
• changes in routines like eating at unusual times
• sleep deprivation
• breastfeeding (increased hunger/calorie intake to keep up with baby’s feeding schedule)
• traumatic birth or lengthy hospital stay
• psychological stressors, such as changes in relationships and social isolation

The postnatal period poses a significant risk to people with a current or past eating disorder and eating disorder behaviours may arise to cope with the stress of being a new parent.

You’re not alone. Many people are pregnant or have recently given birth are dealing with disordered eating thoughts and behaviours.

The guidelines recommend that you should have a dedicated named professional (usually your GP or midwife) to support you during your pregnancy. If you’re struggling, the most important thing you can do is tell your named professional (this might be your midwife or GP) so you can get the support you need. They won’t judge you — they are there to help you and your baby stay well. They will discuss the changes that will happen to your body throughout your pregnancy and talk about getting enough nutrients to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Your GP should refer you to your local eating disorder service and perinatal mental health services (this may be area dependent). You should be seen as a priority due to the risks associated to you and the baby. Your midwife may be able to offer more appointments to support your physical and mental health and your baby’s growth.

Both your GP and midwife may also be able to recommend local support groups and counselling services.

If you’re postpartum, you’ll have an appointment between 6–8-week after birth with your GP and you’ll be asked questions about your mental health. Be honest with them - if you find yourself struggling after your baby is born, tell them how you’re feeling. Your GP can refer you to your local eating disorder service and your local perinatal mental health team (this may be area dependent).

Caring for your health during pregnancy is essential for both your wellbeing and your baby’s development. While pregnancy can bring new challenges — especially for those with current or past experience of eating disorders — prioritising both your physical and emotional health can make a meaningful difference.

Each trimester brings unique changes and nutritional needs that help your baby grow. In the first trimester, nutrients like folate, vitamins A and B6, and iron are especially important as they support the early formation of the heart, brain, bones, and the development of the placenta and blood supply. As pregnancy progresses into the second and third trimesters, your body needs more energy and key nutrients — including protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins C and D — to help your baby’s brain, nervous system, muscles, and facial features develop, and to build healthy fat stores.

Recovery isn’t always linear, and pregnancy can bring up lots of challenges — but taking steps to stay nourished and well can make a real difference for both you and the baby.

If you need treatment during pregnancy, you should be offered the same range of care and treatment options as anyone else affected by an eating disorder.

Treatment may include:

• Guided self-help: working through structured exercises with the support of a therapist
• Talking therapies: such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), to help manage thoughts, feelings, and eating behaviours

Care should take a multidisciplinary approach and be tailored to your needs, with a focus on supporting both your physical and mental health and your baby's wellbeing.

You can read more about eating disorders and the different treatments available via the pages below:

• Anorexia
• ARFID
• Binge eating disorder
• Bulimia
• OSFED

Pregnancy is a major life-changing event, and can stir up old patterns, especially around control, body image, and food.

Many people with eating disorders cope well with pregnancy and for some, it can be a turning point where they reduce or stop their eating disorder behaviours entirely.

But it’s not always as straightforward as this; the perinatal period is time of significant physical, emotional, and hormonal changes, which can increase vulnerability to eating disorders. Relapse isn’t inevitable but it’s common for people who have experienced an eating disorder to relapse during pregnancy or shortly after their baby is born.

If you think you might be at risk of relapsing, you should tell your midwife and GP about your previous experiences and current concerns. Your GP should refer you to your local eating disorder service.

After you’ve been seen by your midwife/GP/Health Visitor, you should be referred into eating disorder services and perinatal mental health services. It’s likely that the support and treatment you will receive will be from a multidisciplinary team consisting of individuals from both eating disorder services and perinatal mental health services.

From the eating disorder service, you may meet one or more of the following:

• Clinical and counselling psychologists
• Clinical nurse specialists
• Health care assistant
• Advanced nurse practitioner
• Specialist dieticians
• Consultant Psychiatrist
• Occupational therapists
• Social worker
• Assistant psychologists
• Peer Support workers

From the perinatal mental health services, you may meet one or more of the following:

• Specialist Mental Health Midwife
• Perinatal Psychiatrist
• Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Nurse
• Psychologist

Here are some suggestions that you may find helpful:

• Try to remember that eating means nourishing and protecting yourself and the baby
• If you're struggling with eating, start small: frequent, gentle meals/snacks every few hours. This may be particularly helpful if you’re struggling with morning sickness
• Think about recovery tools you’ve used before like journaling, support groups, mindfulness, or grounding exercises — whatever worked before may help again now. You may find our ‘Self-help and self-care' page helpful
• Set boundaries and shut down any diet talk or comments about your body or shape. Practice saying: “I’m focusing on being healthy for my baby and myself, let’s talk about something else.”
• Surround yourself with those that care about you and let them know you’re struggling. Lean on them for support.
• Say daily affirmations like “My body is doing something amazing” — even if you don’t believe it at first

Pregnancy can bring more attention to your body—sometimes from people you know, and sometimes even from strangers. Unfortunately, many feel entitled to comment on or touch a pregnant person’s body without asking. This can feel especially difficult if you have a history of an eating disorder.

It’s completely okay to set clear boundaries. You can let others know that you don’t welcome comments about your body or physical touch. A simple, firm statement like “I’d prefer not to talk about my body” or “Please don’t touch my stomach” is enough. People can say things unintentionally that feel uncomfortable or triggering. If they know about your past with an eating disorder, reminding them of what you’ve been through and how those comments affect you now can help protect yourself.

It’s normal to be worried about giving birth, especially if you have never given birth before.

If you have previously spent time in hospital (perhaps you were being treated for your eating disorder), you may be anxious about doing so again. We know that some people can find hospitals difficult or traumatic, particularly if it brings back memories of struggling with an eating disorder. We recommend speaking to your midwife and letting them know you’re anxious about the birth and being in hospital.

You can talk to your midwife and write a birth plan together, detailing who you want in the room with you/who is your safe person and anything specific you’d like during the birth to help you (that could be things like music or dimming the lights etc) to minimise the fears you might have.

There is a helpful resource from Tommy’s (The pregnancy and birth charity) that you can download: https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/calculators-tools-resources/wellbeing-plan/pregnancy-and-post-birth-wellbeing-plan

If you’ve been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during your pregnancy, you may feel anxious or stressed about your diagnosis and worried that it may lead to disordered eating thoughts and behaviours.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy, typically in the second or third trimester (but can occur at any time). It's usually diagnosed through blood tests and usually resolves after childbirth. While it can affect the health of both the mother and baby, it's manageable with lifestyle changes, diet, and sometimes medication.

You can learn more about gestational diabetes and the care you should receive on the Diabetes UK website.

You may come across healthcare professionals that don't understand or minimise your experiences.

If you have raised your concerns with your midwife or GP and feel like you aren’t experiencing the right support, contact our Helpline for support and advice. You may also find our Overturning Bad Decisions page helpful.

It’s completely normal to be worried about how you’ll cope once the baby arrives, especially as routines change and new challenges emerge.

If you're worried about slipping back into old eating disorder patterns, it can help to plan ahead. Talk to your midwife about strategies to support your wellbeing in the weeks and months after birth. This might include building a postnatal support network (planning check-ins with a partner, friends/family or your midwife or GP), setting realistic expectations for yourself, and identifying early warning signs (feelings around food, exercise, body image etc) that you may need more help. If you’ve previously received eating disorder treatment you may have a relapse prevention plan too.

If you do find yourself needing support – it doesn’t end with pregnancy. Your GP, midwife* and health visitor will continue to check in on your mental health and wellbeing after your baby is born. They’re also there to support you with feeding, recovery, and adjusting to life as a new parent—so don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re struggling.

*Your care will be passed from the midwifery team to the Health Visiting team within 28 days of giving birth.

Breastfeeding can be especially challenging for any new parent—physically, emotionally, and mentally. For those in recovery from an eating disorder, it may bring up unexpected feelings or difficulties.

Increased pressure to "bounce back" or lose weight after birth can sometimes lead to compulsive thoughts and behaviours like over-exercising or inadequate nutrition etc, which may affect your milk supply and put strain on your body.

If you’ve chosen to breastfeed, it’s important to remember that your body needs extra energy, nutrients, and rest—not just to support your baby’s growth, but to help you recover from birth too. This means doing your best to stay nourished, hydrated, and kind to yourself. Regular meals and snacks, rest where possible, and asking for help from your partner, friends and family are all part of looking after both you and your baby.

Some people in recovery find that breastfeeding encourages them to prioritise their wellbeing, while others feel heightened anxiety around food, body image, or control. Both are completely valid and normal experiences. You’re not alone, and it can be helpful to speak with someone who understands — such as your GP, health visitor, a lactation consultant or local breastfeeding support groups. Our Helpline is also available if you are unsure about where to go for support.

If you feel that breastfeeding is affecting your mental health and is leading to disordered eating behaviours, it’s okay to choose to stop breastfeeding and formula feed. Both experiences are valid – what matters the most is that you and your baby are both well.