Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...

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learning disabilities. [86] In particular, they are often not known to
learning disability services in pregnancy, even though it is vital that they
have support and advocacy before childbirth. Research shows that the
earlier services <strong>Literature</strong> can get <strong>Review</strong> involved, on Provision the better of Appropriate the outcomes and Accessible for the family
(Tarleton et Support al., 2006). to People with an Intellectual Disability who are
Experiencing Crisis Pregnancy
Alison Giraud-Saunders also emphasises that children and family
services are often unaware of a range of supports (including personcentred
planning) that can be used and they often intervene in a crisis
that could have been avoided, had the right support and advocacy been in
place.
When women with learning disabilities do attend for antenatal care,
they may have difficulty understanding the information and advice they
receive or putting it into practice (James, 2004). Parents labelled with
intellectual disability have great difficulty in accessing, understanding
and applying popular literature and materials on pregnancy and
parenthood. Standard healthcare literature, which adds to a gradual
accumulation of knowledge and familiarity with pregnancy and child
care issues for the general population, may be totally inaccessible to a
woman with intellectual disability, so that pregnancy and childbirth can
result in the additional stress of a very steep learning curve (Campion,
1996). Consequently, women with intellectual disability need specialist
support to access antenatal services appropriately, so that their own
health and that of the baby is not compromised (McGaw, 2000). The
difference that specialised support can make in terms of physical and
psychological benefits to mothers and babies has been described, for
example, by Martin (2002). Parish and Markwick (1998) identified the
need for an escort/advocate who understands the service being received
by the woman with a learning disability. Women with a learning disability
may also need explanation during the consultation with the GP or nurse,
as well as discussion after examination in order that they may fully
understand what has occurred.
86 Press release, Alison Giraud-Saunders, Co-Director of the Foundation for People
with Learning Disabilities, accessed at http://www.learningdisabilities.org.uk/
media/news-releases/news-releases-2006/09-may-2006a/