Don’t put on weight and prepare food for your husband: South Korea’s advice to pregnant women
The Seoul city government has come under fire for a sexist advisory for pregnant women that included suggestions such as keeping their weight under control and preparing meals in advance so that husbands aren’t inconvenienced while wives are away, giving birth.
The guidelines were published on the “Seoul City Pregnancy and Childbirth Information Centre” website which was launched in June 2019 as an information hub about pregnancies and childbirth. They were taken down after a backlash.
According to the guidelines, women at early stages of pregnancy were advised to not put off “household chores such as cleaning or dishes,” as it could help her “manage her weight during pregnancy without an extra workout.”
It also advised women to visibly hang the clothes they wore before their pregnancy to motivate themselves to keep their weight under control so they can go back to their pre-pregnancy body weight. “If you are tempted