Prejudice and lack of prepare the health system make maternity difficult for women with disabilities
On the National Day of Fighting People with Disabilities, celebrated on September 21, it is important to remember that the struggle for inclusion goes beyond access to ramps, transportation or education. It is also present in one of the most intimate and transformative moments of life: the desire to be a mother. Women they dream of getting pregnant or already pregnant faces, in addition to the natural challenges of pregnancy, the weight of silent prejudice and a health system that is not always prepared to receive them properly.
Prejudice and capacitism in maternity
Unfortunately, many patients still hear questions or comments that discourage them to get pregnant: “Can you be a mother?” “Wouldn’t it be too risky?”, “And who will take care of the child?”. These lines, which show prejudice and capacitism, reinforce the idea that motherhood is a privilege reserved only for women without disabilities. As a gynecologist, I argue that motherhood should be understood as a right, not as a concession.
Challenges during pregnancy
In everyday life, the lack of accessibility in offices and maternity hospitals is a concrete obstacle. Examination rooms without adaptation, inadequate equipment and unprepared professional makes the follow -up more difficult and exhausting. In addition, the absence of specific protocols for disabled pregnant women causes many to receive fragmented care without proper customization. In addition to physical barriers, there is the emotional impact: living a pregnancy under glances or judgment weighs as much as dealing with physical limitations.
When the disabled pregnant woman finds a health team willing to listen, adapt and respect her needs, the experience of pregnancy becomes. Longer consultations, exams adjusted to the patient’s reality, clear guidelines and a truly humanized prenatal care are simple measures that make all the difference. It is also essential to integrate psychologists, physiotherapists and other professionals in follow -up, ensuring multidisciplinary support.
Challenges after birth
The birth of a child is always challenging, but for mothers with disabilities, he can be accompanied by even more prejudice. Often society questions whether this woman will be able to take care of the child. This look discredits affection and dedication, which are the real pillars of motherhood. Each family finds their own paths of adaptation, and numerous women with disabilities show daily that they can raise, educate and love their children with the same intensity and competence of any other mother.
Reflection and Inclusion
To talk about and disability is to expand the concept of inclusion. It is recognizing that all women, regardless of their limitations, are entitled to the dream of being mothers, access to proper care and respect for their choices. On the National Day of Fighting People with Disabilities, the message that should echo is clear: there are no insurmountable barriers when there is welcome, information and empathy. What needs to change is not the bodies, but the attitudes of society and the health system.
*By Ana Horovitz CRM 111739 / SP RQE 130806
Gynecologist and member of Brazil Health
