Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...

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• 44 per cent knew that a pregnancy lasts for an average of nine
months.
• Of the 56 interviewees asked about abortion, 36 per cent
understood the meaning of the word. [82]
<strong>Literature</strong> <strong>Review</strong> on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible
Support to People with an Intellectual Disability who are
Experiencing Crisis Pregnancy
Dotson et al. (2003) carried out a small study gathering the perspectives
of eight women with developmental disabilities in California, in the
United States. The researchers conducted health and sexuality interviews
with the women participants, a review of case records and interviews
with the women’s support staff. Their research revealed that while five of
the women reported that they had had sex or were currently sexually
active, half of the participants were unsure about whether or not they
could become pregnant. Seven women reported that they had been
pregnant in the past, and one woman was unsure whether she had been
or not. Similarly, Murphy and O’Callaghan’s research findings in England
(2004) demonstrated that levels of sexual knowledge for adults with
intellectual disabilities (mild to moderate) were far lower than for nondisabled
16 to 17 year olds. Findings demonstrated that levels of sexual
knowledge for adults with intellectual disabilities (mild to moderate)
were far lower than for non-disabled 16 to 17 year olds. Adults with
intellectual disability in their study often lacked knowledge in a number
of key areas, including pregnancy (one-third of the adults did not know
how pregnancy occurred), contraception, and birth control.
4.2.2 Increased vulnerability and sexual abuse
Women with intellectual disability are vulnerable to sexual abuse due
to their inability to defend themselves or to a lack of knowledge with
respect to what constitutes abuse (Walsh et al., 2000). Furthermore,
due to communication difficulties many women with intellectual
disability may not be able to report symptoms of abuse, or an outcome
of abuse, i.e. unwanted pregnancy. They are therefore reliant on others,
including healthcare professionals, family members and carers, to be
alert to symptoms of abuse and possible pregnancy such as trauma, or
laceration of the hymen (Furman, 1989) as well as emotional symptoms
82 One school requested that the question on abortion was omitted from the
interview.