BackgroundApproximately 8% of all women of childbearing age in Austria live with permanent impairments. In everyday life, women with disabilities face various challenges and discrimination, among which the issue of pregnancy and motherhood, in particular, is often considered taboo, and their parenting abilities are doubted. Knowledge in the medical field about the experiences of women with disabilities during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium is limited.MethodsTo investigate the personal meanings and experiences of women with disabilities in regard to pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium, in-depth individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten mothers with various mobility or sensory impairments who reside in Austria. The qualitative interview data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis proposed by Mayring.ResultsThree main themes or categories emerged from the inductive content analysis, namely, (i) the social network, (ii) self-efficacy and self-awareness and (iii) communication, transparency and information. Participants reported limited acceptance of their life decisions and experienced an environment of discriminatory attitudes. They experienced a lack of support and lack of confidence in their parenting abilities, which negatively influenced their self-efficacy and self-awareness. Violations of personal borders and a feeling of being watched and controlled were reported. Communication with health care professionals was often characterized by mutual aspects of fear, uncertainty and awkwardness, as perceived by women with disabilities. Adequate information about pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium, particularly about measures taken and interventions applied, was frequently missing.ConclusionHeath care facilities need to be structured to ensure ease of access for women with disabilities. Education should be offered to health care professionals to improve knowledge about care for women with disabilities and to strengthen communication skills. All necessary information needs to be prepared and provided in an adequate manner. The establishment of a health-promoting environment for mothers, their children and their families requires a sensitive, respectful and non-judgmental attitude of society toward women with disabilities during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12884-017-1388-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background During pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium, women receive care from a range of health professionals, particularly midwives. To assess the current situation of maternity care for women with physical disabilities in Austria, this study investigated the perceptions and experiences of health professionals who have provided care for women with disabilities during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Methods The viewpoints of the participating health professionals were evaluated by means of semistructured interviews followed by an inductive qualitative content analysis of the interview transcripts, as proposed by Mayring. Results Four main categories emerged from the inductive content analysis: (i) structural conditions and accessibility, (ii) interprofessional teamwork and cooperation, (iii) action competence, and (iv) diversity-sensitive attitudes. According to the participating health professionals, the structural conditions were frequently not suitable for providing targeted group-oriented care services. Additionally, a shortage of time and staff resources also limited the necessary flexibility of treatment measures in the care of mothers with physical disabilities. The importance of interprofessional teamwork for providing adequate care was highlighted. The health professionals regarded interprofessionalism as an instrument of quality assurance and team meetings as an elementary component of high-quality care. On the other hand, the interviewees perceived a lack of action competence that was attributed to a low number of cases and a corresponding lack of experience and routine. Regarding diversity-sensitive attitudes, it became apparent that the topic of mothers with physical disabilities in care posed challenges to health professionals that influenced their natural handling of the interactions. Conclusion The awareness of one’s own attitudes towards diversity, in the perinatal context in particular, influences professional security and sovereignty as well as the quality of care of women with disabilities. There is a need for optimization in the support and care of women with physical disabilities during pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4380-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Introduction In recent decades, there has been a continuous rise in the average age at which women give birth. A maternal age of 35 years and above is considered an independent risk factor in pregnancy and birth, due to higher rates of intervention. This study investigates the influence of maternal age on birth procedure, gestational age, and rate of interventions during delivery. The influence of maternal parity is also analyzed. Material and Methods Data from the Austrian Register of Births was retrospectively collected and evaluated. The collected data was the data of all singleton live births in Austria between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2016 (n = 686 272). Multiple births and stillbirths were excluded from the study. Maternal age and parity were analyzed in relation to predefined variables (birth procedure, gestational age, episiotomy in cases of vaginal delivery, epidural anesthesia in both vaginal and cesarean deliveries, and intrapartum micro-blood gas analysis). Statistical data was evaluated using (1) descriptive univariate analysis, (2) bivariate analysis, and (3) multinomial regression models. Results The cesarean section rate and the rate of surgically-assisted vaginal deliveries increased with advancing maternal age, especially in primiparous women, while the rate of spontaneous deliveries decreased with increasing maternal age. A parity of ≥ 2 had a protective effect on the cesarean section rate. The rate of premature births also increased with increasing maternal age, particularly among primiparous women. Discussion Although higher maternal age has a negative effect on various obstetric parameters, it was nevertheless not possible to identify a causal connection. Maternal age should not be assessed as an independent risk factor; other factors such as lifestyle or prior chronic disease and parity must be taken into consideration.

Introduction: Data on specific characteristics based on the gender of the unborn baby and their significance for obstetrics are limited. The aim of this study is to analyse selected parameters of obstetric relevance in the phases pregnancy, birth and postpartum period in dependence on the gender of the foetus. Materials and Methods: The selected study method comprised a retrospective data acquisition and evaluation from the Austrian birth register of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology of Tyrolean State Hospitals. For the analysis all inpatient singleton deliveries in Austria during the period from 2008 to 2013 were taken into account (live and stillbirths n?=?444?685). The gender of the baby was correlated with previously defined, obstetrically relevant parameters. Results: In proportions, significantly more premature births and sub partu medical interventions (vaginal and abdominal surgical deliveries. episiotomies) were observed for male foetuses (p?

Despite the small sample size it becomes obvious that the obstetric departments in Austria lack in many regards structures that ensure accessibility to care, nursing, counselling and support for women with sensory impairments or limited mobility.