Normalising birth for women with a disability: the challenges facing practitioners

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health
• Disability Studies
• Healthcare Professional Education

Background:

• Pregnant women with disabilities often experience maternity care as "outsiders," being automatically categorized as "high risk."
• These women report a lack of choice, control, and continuity in mainstream maternity services due to not fitting the "normal" category.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore multiprofessional teams' perceptions on improving maternity services for pregnant women with disabilities in Irish hospitals.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative approach using focus group interviews with 19 healthcare professionals (midwifery, social work, public health nursing).
• Case studies depicting diverse birthing experiences were presented and discussed.
• Thematic content analysis using Newell and Burnard's (2006) six-stage approach was applied.

Main Results:

• Professionals found the experiences of disabled women believable, upsetting, and challenging.
• Healthcare staff acknowledged their lack of competence, knowledge, and skills concerning disability.

Conclusions:

• Staff recognized that a failure to consult and collaborate with disabled women led to inadequate individualized, woman-centered care.
• Recommendations for improved practice were developed to enhance maternity services for women with disabilities.