Identifying Prenatal Care Barriers for Pregnant Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Living...

Pregnancy among individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities poses unique challenges, with studies showing higher rates of adverse outcomes. There remains a gap in understanding patient-reported barriers to accessing health care during pregnancy, especially in rural areas such as central Michigan. This study investigates the barriers to prenatal care for pregnant individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in central Michigan.

Using a mixed-method approach, 9 participants from the Central Michigan University Healthcare obstetrics/gynecology clinic completed a survey designed to identify specific challenges in accessing care.

The findings revealed several motivations for seeking prenatal care, such as learning about labor and ensuring a healthy baby, but also highlighted significant barriers, including transportation issues, discomfort with male examiners, unplanned pregnancies, and depression.

The study underscores the need for tailored educational resources and integrated mental health support to address these challenges. Despite recruitment difficulties due to the population's limited visibility and interaction with healthcare systems, the study provides valuable insights into the complex and intersecting factors affecting healthcare access for this vulnerable demographic. The results emphasize the necessity for further research with larger sample sizes to develop comprehensive strategies that ensure equitable prenatal care access for pregnant individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.