Parents with physical disabilities and perinatal services: defining parents’ needs and their access to services

Abstract

Parents with physical disabilities face challenges in their relationships with perinatal and early childhood services. This paper aims to better understand the experiences and needs of parents with physical disabilities regarding perinatal and early childhood services in the public healthcare system in Quebec, Canada. We also describe how adequately current services meet the needs of these individuals. Thirteen interviews were conducted with ten mothers and three fathers with physical disabilities. Results indicate challenges in various phases of the parental experience: the decision to have a child and conception; pregnancy follow-up; delivery; postnatal care and parental practices. The main issues reported by participants involved access to information and professionals’ attitudes. Participants also emphasized the importance of keeping control over the parenting process. As there is a growing interest in the questions surrounding parents with disabilities in Quebec, this study can provide useful insights for community organizations and political stakeholders.

Points of interests

• Parents with physical disabilities report needs at various stages in their parental experience: the decision to have a child and conception, pregnancy follow-up, delivery, postnatal care and parental practices.

• Parents ask to be provided with appropriate information and to be part of the decision-making process during the delivery and with regards to child care.

• Professional services may fail to address parents’ needs.

• Inclusive services would provide support for parents with physical disabilities surrounding both the medical, and the social aspects of their parenthood. Services of this nature could lead to positive outcomes in their parental practices.

Keywords:

• Parents with physical disabilities
• perinatal services
• early childhood services
• narrative approach
• accessibility
• public healthcare system

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Simon Coulombe and Rachel Goldfarb for the English language revision, Marion Picot for her contribution with the transcription process, and CRUJeF for its financial support. We are also deeply grateful to the advisory board for their valuable support (Florence Pardo, Rose-Marie Wakil and Isabelle Boisvert), as well as to the participants who took the time to courageously share their stories.

Disclosure statement

No conflict of interest is to be declared.

Notes

1 Post-secondary education, pre-university