Experiences of Women of Short Stature During the Perinatal Period.
Serah Nthenge, Lauren Smith, Sandy Ho and 1 others
PMID 35550125WHAT IT FOUND
Nine women of short stature, all with cesarean births, said clinicians lacked disability-specific maternity knowledge, so they learned pregnancy needs from disability groups and social media, and faced inaccessible tables, beds, bassinets, and baby equipment.
Key findings
01Most participants reported that maternity clinicians lacked adequate knowledge, skills, or experience for women of short stature, so they advocated for themselves.
02Participants obtained pregnancy information and emotional support mainly from disability organizations, conferences, websites, and social media peer groups.
03Nearly all participants reported inaccessible health care facilities and equipment, including hospital beds, bathrooms, and infant bassinets.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only nine women were included, five with dwarfism and four with osteogenesis imperfecta, so the themes cannot be treated as general to all women of short stature. The sample was mostly non-Hispanic White women, eight white non-Hispanic and one Hispanic, so experiences of minority racial or ethnic groups may differ. Participants were recruited through social media and disability organizations, so they may have been more connected to disability communities than women without those connections. The study did not include women of average stature with osteogenesis imperfecta. The study reports experiences and adaptations, not outcomes or whether any care approach improved health.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships. The publication types list NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that disability-specific maternity education, accessible equipment, or peer support improves outcomes. The study describes the experiences of nine women and does not test any intervention.