• Disability Stories Project
    • CHRIL/IL-NET COVID Survey
    • Social Determinants of Health
    • CIL Transitions and COVID
  • Research
  • Events
  • Fellowship
  • Training
  • Team
Menu

The Collaborative on Health Reform and Independent Living

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number

Your Custom Text Here

The Collaborative on Health Reform and Independent Living

  • Projects
    • Disability Stories Project
    • CHRIL/IL-NET COVID Survey
    • Social Determinants of Health
    • CIL Transitions and COVID
  • Research
  • Events
  • Fellowship
  • Training
  • Team

"Paying the price to get there": Motherhood and the dynamics of pregnancy deliberations among women with disabilities

July 10, 2017 Elizabeth Wood
Image: A woman in a gray dress stands in front of a brick wall. She is holding her pregnant stomach.

Image: A woman in a gray dress stands in front of a brick wall. She is holding her pregnant stomach.

Women with disabilities are not as likely to become pregnant as women without disabilities. This study looks at how women with disabilities make decisions about pregnancy. Four focus groups were held with 22 women of child-bearing age. Most of the women wanted to become mothers, but they had concerns about becoming pregnant. Three things affected their decision: 1) how important it was to them to have a child, 2) whether it was possible for them to become pregnant, and 3) the costs of having and raising a child.

The study showed that it is more than the medical issues around having a child that are important to a woman. When they discuss pregnancy with a woman with a disability, health care providers should also talk about social and personal factors. By talking about all her concerns, health care providers can help a woman with a disability to make a decision that is in line with her values and desires. 

Access the original article here (subscription required). 

← High-Risk Pools: An Illusion of Coverage That May Increase Costs for All in the Long TermAfter the ACA, People with Disabilities were more likely to have coverage, but still relied heavily on public insurance →

jjkennedy@wsu.edu

The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (#90DP0075-01-00). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.