In this case study, we explore the challenges associated with researching a stigmatized topic (womens experiences of smoking during pregnancy) and in doing so trace behind-the-scenes of our research journey. This case study is based on a collaboration between the two authors and formed part of the first authors PhD research. We start by describing the project and how the problems of recruitment and data collection arose. We then focus on three methodological strategies that offered more creative options for us to fully explore womens experiences of stigma: (1) moving to online spaces; (2) utilizing multiple sources of data for qualitative analysis; and (3) changing the frame of the study through discourse analysis. We show how together these strategies allowed us to consider how initial problems in the research (e.g., slow recruitment) could be seen as stigma in action
