Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...
Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...
Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...
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PAGE 160<br />
with intellectual disability’s experiences as mothers <strong>and</strong> the<br />
significant challenges they face. Risk factors for <strong>and</strong> the impact<br />
<strong>of</strong> an unplanned pregnancy <strong>on</strong> women with intellectual disability<br />
remain <str<strong>on</strong>g>Literature</str<strong>on</strong>g> under-researched <str<strong>on</strong>g>Review</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> Provisi<strong>on</strong> topics. <strong>of</strong> <strong>Appropriate</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Accessible</strong><br />
Support to People with an Intellectual Disability who are<br />
Experiencing Crisis Pregnancy<br />
• Research has dem<strong>on</strong>strated that young women with mild<br />
learning disabilities hold similar expectati<strong>on</strong>s to others <strong>of</strong><br />
their own age c<strong>on</strong>cerning social intimacy, sexual relati<strong>on</strong>ships,<br />
marriage, <strong>and</strong> having <strong>and</strong> rearing children. In <strong>on</strong>e study in<br />
Northern Irel<strong>and</strong>, the majority <strong>of</strong> participants (with mild,<br />
moderate <strong>and</strong> severe intellectual disability) understood basic<br />
informati<strong>on</strong> about sex <strong>and</strong> pregnancy <strong>and</strong> 36 per cent (n=56)<br />
understood the meaning <strong>of</strong> the word aborti<strong>on</strong> (Simps<strong>on</strong> et al.,<br />
2006).<br />
Risk factors for unplanned pregnancy <strong>and</strong> sex educati<strong>on</strong><br />
• Risk factors for unplanned pregnancy included lack <strong>of</strong> sex<br />
knowledge, increased vulnerability <strong>and</strong> sexual abuse, low selfesteem,<br />
<strong>and</strong> negative attitudes.<br />
• It is generally accepted that appropriate educati<strong>on</strong> with regard<br />
to issues <strong>of</strong> sexuality, tailored to the individual’s unique learning<br />
style, can be effectively utilised in the management <strong>of</strong> fertility<br />
<strong>and</strong> menstruati<strong>on</strong> difficulties. It has been asserted that the aim<br />
<strong>of</strong> sexuality policies <strong>and</strong> guidelines should always be to support<br />
people with learning disabilities in their sexual lives, <strong>and</strong> not to<br />
dissuade them from having sex (McCarthy, 1999).<br />
• When undertaking sex educati<strong>on</strong> work with women with learning<br />
disabilities an emphasis needs to be placed <strong>on</strong>: self-esteem <strong>and</strong><br />
assertiveness training; developing a more active, less passive<br />
role for women; supporting women to engage in a process <strong>of</strong><br />
critical reflecti<strong>on</strong> about their sexual lives, <strong>and</strong> the importance <strong>of</strong><br />
women’s sexual pleasure. More formal sessi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> sex educati<strong>on</strong><br />
work should be carried out <strong>on</strong> single-sex basis.