Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this secondary qualitative analysis was two-fold: to explore perinatal experiences of 22 women with physical disabilities guided by the perinatal health framework of women with physical disabilities and; construct two perinatal life stories of childbearing women with physical disabilities.
Method: The study participants were 22 women with physical disabilities who, at the time of pregnancy, used a mobility device, and had given birth within the last 10 years. The principal investigator of the primary study interviewed all the participants.
Findings: Nine themes were identified in our study. All the participants reported both a lack of disability-specific perinatal information and healthcare providers with the clinical skills and training to provide perinatal care to women with physical disabilities. Self-advocacy was a key finding in this study. Participants had to advocate for themselves to find perinatal information from other women with physical disabilities who had children or rely on the Internet. Women reported inaccessible examination tables and weight scales, which compromised their perinatal care. The themes identified in this study were consistent with the perinatal health framework for women with physical disabilities.
Conclusions: The Study's findings suggest that ongoing efforts to address the perinatal needs of childbearing women with physical disabilities are required. Institutions that educate healthcare providers need to incorporate disability-related content in their curricula to educate nurses and physicians about the perinatal needs of women with physical disabilities. The voices and experiences of childbearing women with physical disabilities are necessary to inform evidence-based practice and policy.
Sigma Membership
Alpha Nu
Type
Dissertation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Meta-Analysis/Synthesis
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Childbearing, Women, Pregnancy, Perinatal, Physical Disability
Advisor
Suzanne Smeltzer
Second Advisor
Amy McKeever
Degree
PhD
Degree Grantor
Villanova University
Degree Year
2019
Recommended Citation
Nthenge, Serah M., "Perinatal experiences of childbearing women with physical disabilities" (2021). Dissertations. 1904.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/dissertations/1904
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Review Type
None: Degree-based Submission
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2021-08-16
Full Text of Presentation
wf_yes
Description
This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 27960238; ProQuest document ID: 2405150468. The author still retains copyright.