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Autistic People's Perinatal Experiences II: A Survey of Childbirth and Postnatal Experiences.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Allison, C 
Baron-Cohen, S 
Holt, R 

Abstract

Qualitative accounts indicate there are sensory and communication related barriers to adequate childbirth and postnatal healthcare for autistic people. However, little quantitative work has explored the topic. This online survey study explored childbirth and postnatal experiences among 384 autistic and 492 non-autistic people. Compared with non-autistic people, autistic people were more likely to find the sensory aspects of birth overwhelming, and experienced lower satisfaction with birth-related and postnatal healthcare. Autistic people were more likely to experience postnatal depression and anxiety. The findings highlight that sensory and communication adjustments should be made to birth and postnatal healthcare for autistic people. The findings indicate the need for greater autism understanding among professionals and greater postnatal mental health support for autistic people.

Description

Keywords

Autism, Childbirth, Healthcare, Motherhood, Postnatal, Female, Pregnancy, Humans, Autistic Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Communication

Journal Title

J Autism Dev Disord

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0162-3257
1573-3432

Volume Title

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (214322/Z/18/Z)