“I Didn’t Need People’s Negative Thoughts”: Women With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Reporting Attitudes Toward Their Pregnancy

Abstract

Background Since the illegalization of involuntary sterilization of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, there has been an increase in childbearing in this population. However, women with intellectual and developmental disabilities continue to experience prejudicial attitudes toward their pregnancies. Objective To analyze the experiences of women with intellectual and developmental disabilities regarding their perceptions of support persons’ attitudes toward their pregnancies. Methods Three case studies derived from grounded theory research exploring perinatal social support received by women with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Using inductive content analysis, we further analyzed the perceptions of women with intellectual and developmental disabilities regarding support persons’ attitudes toward their pregnancies. Findings: The nature of interactions with support persons and women’s characteristics, such as help-seeking behaviors, disability, mental illness, and age, influenced support persons’ attitudes toward childbearing. Women preferred support from caregivers perceived as nonjudgmental and tended to restrict contact with persons perceived as prejudicial. However, some attitudes improved following positive interactions with the women. The relationship between support persons’ attitudes and the women’s help-seeking behaviors is thus complex. Conclusions Education of families and medical and social services practitioners and opportunities for positive contact should be further explored. Caseworkers of women with intellectual and developmental disabilities may have invaluable roles in facilitating positive interactions between women with intellectual and developmental disabilities and caregivers.

A school‐based intervention can promote insights into future parenting in students with intellectual disabilities—A Swedish interview study

“…The need for support in these situations is rarely met and often not adapted to mothers’ cognitive abilities (Janeslätt et al., 2019). Pregnant women with ID prefer support from caregivers perceived as non‐judgemental and tend to avoid contact with persons perceived as a threat, such as authorities (Potvin, Barnett, Brown, & Cobigo, 2019).…”

Efficacy of a school‐based intervention to influence attitudes about future parenting among Swedish youth with intellectual disability: An RCT study

“…Several items had changes that were nearly significant, strengthening the evidence that discussing the themes in the Parenting Toolkit Third, a tendency was found that the participants moved from extreme to less extreme values (e.g., from 'strong yes' to 'yes'). This may be thanks to the way in which the Parenting Toolkit was presented: non-judgementally, as recommended by Potvin et al (2019), and adapted to the target group, as described by Azar et al (2013).…”

“…Third, a tendency was found that the participants moved from extreme to less extreme values (e.g., from ‘strong yes’ to ‘yes’). This may be thanks to the way in which the Parenting Toolkit was presented: non‐judgementally, as recommended by Potvin et al (2019), and adapted to the target group, as described by Azar et al (2013). This was the intention when the Parenting Toolkit was first created.…”

“…Previous studies have described parenting as connected to being an adult and taking on an adult role, which might make parenthood important for mothers with intellectual disabilities (Janeslätt et al, 2019; Rosqvist & Lövgren, 2013). In pregnancy, women with intellectual disabilities prefer support from caregivers who are perceived as non‐judgmental and tend to avoid contact with individuals perceived as a threat, that is, authorities (Potvin et al, 2019). Some studies describe that women with intellectual disability received positive support from midwife and doula, respectively, during pregnancy and postnatally (Höglund & Larsson, 2014; McGarry et al, 2016).…”

The Rule of Law for the Exercise of Marriage and Reproductive Rights for Women with Intellectual Disabilities in China

“…In particular, adequate social support and supported decision-making should be provided for the reproductive rights of WIDs. 34 If circumstances make them unfit for childbearing, the PFPL should support scientific and reasonable contraceptive and birth control measures rather than prohibiting WIDs from marrying. Second, the PFPL should explicitly include WIDs as part of the subject of reproductive rights.…”