Experiences of Physically Disabled Women during Childbirth. A Systematic Review of the Latest Literature.

The aim of this systematic review was to elucidate the thoughts, needs, feelings and barriers that women with physical disabilities face during childbirth. The review is based on studies including testimonies of women who described their delivery experiences. The systematic research was conducted using two online bibliographic databases. The review considered all types of studies relevant to the theme that were written in English and were published from 2016 to February 2021. In total, 89 studies that were assessed through the PubMed and Google Scholar databases were collected. Only six of the 89 studies met the inclusion criteria and were deemed valid. Our findings showed that the components that define labour experiences of women with physically disabling conditions were selection of type of birth and anaesthesia, inexperience and lack of knowledge of clinicians surrounding disabilities, negative attitudes of medical staff, non-cooperation between healthcare settings of clinicians, inadequate equipment and facilities, and absence of a birth plan. Health professionals ought to overcome these obstacles, in order to achieve improved mother and infant outcomes. This could be achieved through the suggested further research, review of publications, improvement of facilities, and through cultivation of professionalism, respect, and empathy with regards to clinicians' attitudes towards these women and this vital period in their life.