Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...

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with intellectual disability’s experiences as mothers and the
significant challenges they face. Risk factors for and the impact
of an unplanned pregnancy on women with intellectual disability
remain <strong>Literature</strong> under-researched <strong>Review</strong> on Provision topics. of Appropriate and Accessible
Support to People with an Intellectual Disability who are
Experiencing Crisis Pregnancy
• Research has demonstrated that young women with mild
learning disabilities hold similar expectations to others of
their own age concerning social intimacy, sexual relationships,
marriage, and having and rearing children. In one study in
Northern Ireland, the majority of participants (with mild,
moderate and severe intellectual disability) understood basic
information about sex and pregnancy and 36 per cent (n=56)
understood the meaning of the word abortion (Simpson et al.,
2006).
Risk factors for unplanned pregnancy and sex education
• Risk factors for unplanned pregnancy included lack of sex
knowledge, increased vulnerability and sexual abuse, low selfesteem,
and negative attitudes.
• It is generally accepted that appropriate education with regard
to issues of sexuality, tailored to the individual’s unique learning
style, can be effectively utilised in the management of fertility
and menstruation difficulties. It has been asserted that the aim
of sexuality policies and guidelines should always be to support
people with learning disabilities in their sexual lives, and not to
dissuade them from having sex (McCarthy, 1999).
• When undertaking sex education work with women with learning
disabilities an emphasis needs to be placed on: self-esteem and
assertiveness training; developing a more active, less passive
role for women; supporting women to engage in a process of
critical reflection about their sexual lives, and the importance of
women’s sexual pleasure. More formal sessions of sex education
work should be carried out on single-sex basis.