Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...

PAGE 151
4.7 Pregnancy outcomes in women with intellectual disability
McConnell et al. (2008a: 530) contend, based on their previous findings
(McConnell, Mayes, Russo and Honey, 2003; Llewellyn & McConnell,
2002; Llewellyn, McConnell, Honey, Mayes and Russo, 2003), that
pregnant women with intellectual disability typically have multiple risk
profiles for adverse pregnancy and poor birth outcomes, including low
literacy, low income and poor health. In addition, they are likely to have
difficulty accessing quality antenatal care, given the fact that social and
healthcare providers are generally not properly equipped to cater for
their learning needs (Beange, McElduff and Baker, 1995; McConnell,
Llewellyn and Bye, 1997; Kapell, Nightingale, Rodriguez, Lee, Zigman
and Schupf, 1998).
Support to People with an Intellectual Disability who are
Accessible
and Appropriate of Provision on <strong>Review</strong> <strong>Literature</strong>
Experiencing Crisis Pregnancy
McConnell et al.’s research (2008a) explored the prevalence of poor
pregnancy and birth outcomes in women with intellectual disability
and/or self-reported learning difficulties in an antenatal population.
The research involved utilising antenatal clinic records in a socioeconomically
disadvantaged area of Sydney, Australia. Over a five-month
period, all pregnant women attending their first appointment at two
public hospitals (and who met the criteria of English proficiency) were
invited to participate. Identification of intellectual disability was based
on a social systems definition (Mercer, 1973): intellectual disability was
identified when a woman had previously been labelled with intellectual
disability by social services, and received supports and services
exclusively for people with intellectual disability. An experienced health
practitioner asked each woman attending her first antenatal clinic visit:
1) Had she ever been in a class or school for students with learning
difficulties?
2) Did she receive a pension or benefit for a disability?
If so, then she answered additional questions to confirm that her
placement in a special class or school was related to general learning
difficulties rather than a specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia,
and/or to confirm that the disability pension was received for intellectual
rather than another disability. Two additional ‘screening’ questions were
asked to identify women who experienced difficulties with learning, but
did not receive services or benefits for women labelled with intellectual
disability. These were: