Childbirth Experiences of Women With Autism Spectrum Disorder in an Acute Care Setting

To describe the childbirth experiences of women with autism spectrum disorder.

Qualitative interpretive description design and data analysis using Knafl and Webster.

Women were interviewed in the environment of their choosing: in the home, over the telephone, or via Skype or Facebook Messenger.

Twenty-four women ages 29 to 65 years from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, all of whom gave birth to healthy newborns in an acute care setting.

Interviews were conducted using a semistructured interview guide.

Three main themes emerged from the data: Having Difficulty Communicating, Feeling Stressed in an Uncertain Environment, and Being an Autistic Mother. Each of these themes also included several subthemes.

Study participants expressed difficulty communicating with nurses in a variety of ways. The degree of difficulty in communication varied among participants. Problems in communication included trouble conveying needs, alerting nurses when they felt ill, or not understanding what was said to them. Ineffective communication with nurses resulted in feelings of anxiety and being scared and inhibited participants in further attempts at communication. Nurses caring for women with ASD through the childbirth period should be aware that communication needs will vary for each woman, and interventions to facilitate safe and effective communication in labor should be individualized to each woman.