Up to 75 per cent of Australian women report concerns about their body image after giving birth, with many feeling pressure to “bounce back” to pre-pregnancy shape.

A review of 36 studies found these struggles are shaped by partners, families and cultural expectations, and that social pressure can even trigger eating disorders for the first time.

The analysis showed that social and interpersonal factors can either protect against or worsen body dissatisfaction and disordered eating during pregnancy and the first year after birth.

Researchers at Flinders University in Australia found that supportive partners and strong social networks help women feel more positive about their bodies, while unrealistic media portrayals and appearance-focused comments can cause harm.

Lead author Madeleine Rhodes, a PhD candidate at Flinders, said: “We wanted to understand how new and expecting mums are affected by the people and environment close to them when it comes to their bodies and eating habits.

“Whilst support from partners, family, friends, and healthcare professionals can help women feel better about their bodies, negative comments and social pressure to ‘bounce back’ make things worse.”

Protective factors included emotional and practical support from loved ones and clear, non-judgemental guidance from healthcare providers.

Risk factors included appearance-related comments, interpersonal abuse and pressure to conform to thin ideals. Some women reported that weight-related advice triggered distress, especially those with a history of eating disorders.

Healthcare professionals were identified as vital sources of reassurance, yet many women said conversations about body changes were absent or overly focused on weight.

Professor Ivanka Prichard, senior author, said: “The cultural obsession with ‘getting your body back’ is harmful and unrealistic.

“This is a public health issue with real consequences for mothers, babies, and families.

“By shifting the focus from individual responsibility to shared support, we can create healthier outcomes for everyone.”

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The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has proposed age-based thresholds for ovarian cancer screening to help identify women at higher risk earlier.

Previously, testing has used a blood test for cancer antigen 125 (CA125), a protein marker linked to ovarian cancer, with women showing 35 IU/mL or above referred for checks regardless of age.

Experts say this fixed threshold can miss cancers in older women while prompting unnecessary investigations in younger women.

In a draft update to guidelines, the NICE proposes more personalised criteria to reflect changing risk with age.

It adds that CA125 alone is not accurate enough to guide decisions for women under 40 and recommends ultrasound for those with persistent symptoms.

Eric Power, deputy director of the centre for guidelines at NICE, said: “The committee’s proposed recommendations will ensure more personalised, targeted testing, so women at greatest risk of ovarian cancer are identified and referred sooner.

“This tailored approach will mean GPs can make more informed decisions about which patients need urgent investigation, while reducing unnecessary ultrasound scans, freeing up NHS resources.

“These updates will ensure that our guideline reflects the latest evidence and will help improve the detection of cancer and ensure those who need it get swift treatment.”

The draft also proposes that people aged 60 and over with unexplained weight loss of more than five per cent over six months receive further investigation or suspected cancer pathway referral.

Amid rising hormone replacement therapy use in England, NICE also calls for more research into when unexpected bleeding while on HRT should trigger checks for endometrial cancer, which affects the womb lining.

There are an estimated 7,000 new ovarian cancer cases and nearly 4,000 deaths in the UK each year.

Only one in five patients are diagnosed early, when treatment is more likely to succeed.

Of those diagnosed early, 93 per cent survive more than five years, compared with 13 per cent diagnosed later.