ArticleBMJ open2017
'We both just wanted to be normal parents': a qualitative study of the experience of maternity care for women with learning disability.
Article in BMJ open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 68 citations in OpenAlex.
- Experiences of Stigma Among Parents With Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2026Pooled it
- The Right to Sexuality, Reproductive Health, and Found a Family for People with Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Barriers in access to healthcare for women with disabilities: a systematic review in qualitative studies.BMC women's health · 2021Pooled it
- Enhancing Perinatal Care for Women With Intellectual Disabilities: Clinician Insights on Involving Family Caregivers.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2026Article
- Nothing About Us Without Us in the First 1000 Days: Developing Inclusive Early Years Support With Disabled Families.Sociology of health & illness · 2026Article
- The journey of pregnancy: a qualitative study on the lived experiences of women with dwarfism.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- The Role of Reproductive Injustice in the Access of Motherhood for Women With Intellectual Disabilities: A Narrative Literature Review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2025Review
- Pregnancy Experiences of Women With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.Intellectual and developmental disabilities · 2025Article
- 'I Don't Think I Have Ever Worked Harder on a Case': Needs of Canadian Child Protection Workers and Parents With Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2025Article
- Developing and Implementing an Integrated Family Education Program (IPMD-F) for Parents of Children With Reading Difficulties: Insights From an Action Research Study.Brain and behavior · 2025Article
- Experiences with and Perceptions of the Child Welfare System During the Perinatal Period of Mothers with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.Journal of public child welfare · 2025Article
- A lack of evidence for disability-inclusive maternal health interventions and promising progress: an updated systematic review.Frontiers in global women's health · 2025Review
- Disability justice and collective access to labour and delivery care: a qualitative study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2024Article
- Women with disabilities' use of maternal care services in sub-Saharan Africa.African journal of disability · 2024Article
- "Work with us… to make it more accessible". What women with intellectual disabilities want from infant-feeding health resources: an exploratory study.International breastfeeding journal · 2023Review
- Unmet needs, limited access: A qualitative study of postpartum health care experiences of people with disabilities.Journal of advanced nursing · 2023Article
- A qualitative exploration of autistic mothers' experiences I: Pregnancy experiences.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2023Article
- Clinician-reported barriers to providing perinatal care to women with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Journal of intellectual & developmental disability · 2023Article
- Matching of woman and doula, and the generation of trust in an Australian volunteer doula program: Findings from a realist evaluation.Health & social care in the community · 2022Article
- Pregnancy recommendations from women with intellectual and developmental disabilities to their peers.Disability and health journal · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMore women with learning disability (LD) are becoming mothers. Women with LD have rights to equal access to maternity care that meets their needs, however, many have poor pregnancy and birth outcomes compared to other women in the UK. Research is limited in this area.
objectivesThe aim of the study was to explore the lived experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, prenatal and postnatal care and services received by this group of women in the UK, including their expressed information and support needs relating to maternity care.
methodsA qualitative study in which data were generated using in-depth semistructured interviews with learning disabled women who were pregnant or had given birth within the last 3 years in the UK; data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.
results9 women with varying levels of cognitive impairment took part. 4 super-ordinate themes were identified: 'I hate being treated differently', 'I find it harder to understand than other people', 'We've had to prove ourselves' and 'Make sure you've got very good support around you'. Subthemes included: 'Negative attitudes and denial of choice', 'Understanding of normal care', 'Written information' and 'Being judged by professionals'.
conclusionsWith support from family and services, learning disabled women can become confident and successful parents. Maternity services should make reasonable adjustments when providing care to this group, including adapting to their individual communication and learning needs: allowing sufficient time in appointments, offering clear explanations of each aspect of care and sensitive support for autonomy and fully informed choice. Mothers who will be subject to a social care assessment of their parenting skills need clear information about the process, their choices and the level of skill they must demonstrate, as well as access to sufficient antenatal and postnatal support to give them the best possible chance of passing the assessment.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.