Women with Disabilities: Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing ...

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES: BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO ACCESSING SERVICES DURING PREGNANCY,CHILDBIRTH AND EARLY MOTHERHOODSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublinand health professionals where they would be treated with respect, andtheir strength acknowledged; relating to the need for continuity of care,help in communicating with their children, and more counselling servicesinstead of drugs (with non-national women preferring counsellors fromtheir own cultural background)• affordability, regarding the provision of childcare facilities at clinics andpractical help with mothering.8.1.7. Findings in relation to women with intellectual disabilitiesBarriers for women with intellectual disabilities were found in the literature inrelation to:• society’s negative attitudes to women with intellectual disabilitiesbecoming pregnant, and caring for their children, with a resulting lack ofsupport networks for women with intellectual disability during pregnancy,childbirth and early motherhood;• conservative and protective perspectives from frontline caring staff andparents regarding the sexuality of women with intellectual disability,which put the women at risk of coercive sterilisation or forcedcontraception.Research on facilitators to access to maternity services for women withintellectual disabilities was almost non-existent. The Disability Act (Governmentof Ireland, 2005) places statute-based obligations on public bodies to provideaccessible services and information.8.2. Key research gapsIt is recommended that all future research in the area of women’s healthshould include women with disabilities, as appropriate. Through this review,research gaps have been identified in the following areas in relation togeneral maternity and health service care and in relation to women in the 5categories of disability:129