Experiences of pregnancy and perinatal healthcare access of women who are deaf: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Women who are deaf experience higher rates of reproductive healthcare barriers and adverse birth outcomes compared with their peers who can hear. This study explores the pregnancy experiences of women who are deaf to better understand their barriers to and facilitators of optimal pregnancy-related health care.

Design

Qualitative study using thematic analysis.

Setting

Semi-structured, individual, remote or in-person interviews conducted in the USA.

Sample

Forty-five women who are deaf and communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) and gave birth in the USA within the past 5 years participated in the interviews.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews explored how mothers who are deaf experienced pregnancy and birth, including access to perinatal

SUBMITTER: Panko TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9992236 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature