The Experiences of Pregnant Women with Physical Disabilities at the Hospital
- Diksha Joshi
- Mar 28
- 5 min read
Imagine being in the hospital, excited to bring your child into this world. But soon, you are unable to use the hospital equipment, and a staff member is unwilling to help. You ask questions about navigating your pregnancy with a disability to a provider, but they don’t know the answer, and there are hardly any community resources. This experience is stressful. It induces anxiety and makes you feel helpless and alone in your already vulnerable healthcare experience.
This is a lived reality for the 1 in 8 Ontarians who navigate a pregnancy while having a physical disability. The significant gap in physical, mental, and social support resources for pregnant people with a disability leads to poorer health outcomes and negative emotional experiences both during and after the pregnancy.
Therefore, this blog aims to highlight the psychological and social experiences of pregnant women navigating the healthcare system with a disability. It will also draw attention to research-backed recommendations on how these experiences can be prevented and improved.
What are the problematic experiences at hand?
The following experiences are based on a research study conducted by a researcher at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
Inaccessible healthcare setting
As families entered the gates of the healthcare system, they found many doors locked without being given a key. From exam tables to washrooms, they not only found the equipment inaccessible, but also found no alternatives in place to combat the inaccessibility. For example, a woman had a hard time providing a urine sample because the washroom could not accommodate a wheelchair. While able-bodied counterparts could have the dignity of showering during a long stay, pregnant women with disabilities did not always have the same option as a result of wheelchair inaccessible showers.
These experiences can feel very disorientating and disempowering, especially when you have to rely on healthcare workers who are unwilling to help.
Negative attitudes
Beyond physical barriers, many women experienced an added layer of difficulty in the negative attitudes and unhelpful comments from staff members. One woman reported that a nurse questioned their fitness for motherhood simply because they asked to be helped out of bed to use the washroom. Many felt that overall, certain staff members harboured a “disability phobia” - a sense of discomfort and inexperience when helping a person with a disability.
It is hard for me to imagine how deeply disorienting, invalidating, and emotionally damaging this is, especially when we expect the healthcare system to be built on compassion and trust, rather than on damaging stereotypes that can prevent vulnerable people from returning.
Lack of knowledge and experience
Many participants had questions about the experience of becoming pregnant with a disability. They wanted answers regarding pain management and how their disability would intersect with their pregnancy; however, there was not sufficient guidance or knowledge from healthcare providers. When participants asked about potential community programs or resources to refer to, there was nothing available.
Entering pregnancy can already be a distressing experience. Without sufficient knowledge and support about what to expect with a disability, how can they safely (both emotionally, physically and psychologically) navigate such an uncertain experience?
Misunderstanding of disability related needs
Overall, there was a feeling of misunderstanding of the disability and disability-related experiences from healthcare providers. For example, some providers would only focus on the pregnancy aspect of their care rather than the pregnancy in relation to their disability. It was clear to participants, the experts of their own bodies, their disability and pregnancy is a deeply intertwined experience. Yet providers did not have the necessary context and experience to help their patients navigate this.
These experiences are disheartening and speak to a wider change that needs to be enforced within a healthcare system that is wholly unprepared to understand and care for persons with disabilities. Everyone deserves the right to navigate a healthcare system that is safe, validating, and that aligns with the care needs and expectations of people seeking healthcare.
What needs to change to provide better care?
So many changes need to be implemented to improve the experiences of pregnant people with a physical disability at a health setting. From the attitudes of professionals to the built environment and resources in the community. Here are a few recommendations that target short and long-term improvements to create a safer experience for both mom and baby.
Education & Training of Healthcare Providers
Beyond clinical knowledge, healthcare providers need a deeper understanding of the disability experience. This means increasing disability-focused content in nursing and medical curricula to competently address all aspects of their care, including physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial.
Creating a safe psychological environment is imperative for all women, including those with a disability.
Asking something as simple as “What can we do to make your visit here easier?” centers the patient as an expert in their own disability.
Improve Accessibility of Healthcare Environments
Ensuring physically accessible facilities is one of the first steps toward creating a physically and psychologically safe environment. Including but not limited to ramps, wide doorways, accessible parking, adjustable exam tables, delivery beds, ultrasound equipment, and accessible washrooms. Planning ahead is important when providers know their patient’s disability history so that necessary equipment is not an afterthought during critical moments.
Improve Coordination & Multidisciplinary Care
Pregnancy and disability intersect in complex ways, and no single provider is expected to know it all. However, when knowledge gaps exist, collaboration should follow. Working alongside rehabilitation professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and physiatrists can help create a more holistic and supportive care plan.
From the experiences of the pregnant women in this study, it was evident that providers without enough experience did not consult other healthcare workers who have worked with a disability population.
Provide Better Information & Resources
Many women are left navigating pregnancy with a disability without clear guidance on what to expect. Accessible resources can help reduce uncertainty and anxiety, empowering individuals to make informed care decisions. At the same time, stronger connections to community programs and support networks can provide an added layer of social and emotional support.
The author of the study also highlights that since the intersecting experience of pregnancy with a disability is more complicated, the planned approach should reflect this. This may mean longer appointments, more frequent check-ins, and an individualized approach that takes the time to understand each person’s unique experience.
References
Tarasoff, L. A. (2017). “we don’t know. we’ve never had anybody like you before”: Barriers to perinatal care for women with physical disabilities. Disability and Health Journal, 10(3), 426–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2017.03.017
LA;, T. (n.d.). Experiences of women with physical disabilities during the perinatal period: A review of the literature and recommendations to improve care. Health care for women international. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23998776/
