The grace of motherhood: disabled women contending with societal denial of intimacy, pregnancy, and motherhood in Ethiopia

Abstract

General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.-Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research -You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain -You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright, please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. ABSTRACTThis study aimed to provide better understanding of intimacy and marriage, pregnancy, birth, and motherhood experiences of women with disability in Ethiopia. Qualitative, in-depth, and semi-structured interviews along with personal observations were used to explore the full experiences of participants, as told in their own words. The result of the interviews indicated that relationships and motherhood proved a very rewarding option for women with disabilities. They also expressed their need for intimacy regardless of society's denial. Challenges identified include negative societal attitudes toward women with disabilities regarding relationship, pregnancy, and child-rearing. Accessibility of health centers in addition to the ignorance and negative attitudes of the physicians are also reported to be major challenges for the interviewees. This study highlights how rewarding the experience of motherhood was for the interviewees and also shows that women with disabilities face challenges at every step of their experiences, because of society's prejudices toward disability. Points of Interest• This paper reports on Ethiopian disabled women's experience on intimacy, pregnancy and motherhood.• Interview data revealed that mothers experienced significant challenges with regard to accessibility of health centers, physician's lack of knowledge about and problematic attitudes toward them and more general societal prejudices towards individuals with disability.• The interview data showed that the experience of intimacy and be(com)ing empowered women.

The impact of leprosy, podoconiosis and lymphatic filariasis on family quality of life: A qualitative study in Northwest Ethiopia

“…Persons affected and their family members were sometimes socially excluded and insulted by their community members and divorce and difficulties in finding a spouse were not uncommon. Similar findings were found in a study on women with disabilities in Ethiopia, who experienced societal denial of marriage and motherhood [54]. Several studies among persons affected by leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis found high levels of stigma-for example among persons affected by podoconiosis in Ethiopia [17,20,29,52,[55][56][57][58][59].…”

‘They are my future’: childbearing desires and motivations among women with disabilities in Ghana - implications for reproductive healthcare

“…For instance, Walsh-Gallagher and colleagues' study showed that WWDs perceived the experience of pregnancy and motherhood as one to celebrate, considered pregnancy an achievement, and felt that pregnancy resulted in a bonding experience and confidence in their ability to achieve a life goal [46]. One qualitative study from Ethiopia also reported that WWDs expressed their feelings of motherhood with a good spirit, with many considering motherhood as a source of joy [27].…”

“…What remains relatively underexplored is WWDs' motivations for childbearing. As some recent studies point out, very few studies have focused on understanding childbearing desires and motivations among WWDs, especially in low-income settings [2,23,27]. Similarly, while recent research highlights the role of attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control in the formation of fertility intentions in the general population [27], there is no specific focus on PWDs.…”

“…As some recent studies point out, very few studies have focused on understanding childbearing desires and motivations among WWDs, especially in low-income settings [2,23,27]. Similarly, while recent research highlights the role of attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control in the formation of fertility intentions in the general population [27], there is no specific focus on PWDs. Deepening understanding on the motivations for childbearing among WWDs could be essential not just for fertility regulation but also for planning and delivering high-quality reproductive healthcare to WWDs [23].…”

Education, Work, and Motherhood in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Review of Equality Challenges and Opportunities for Women with Disabilities

“…Understanding the opportunities and challenges that women with disabilities in low and middle income countries (LMICs) face in participating meaningfully in education, employment and family life (Tefera & Van Engen, 2016;Tefera, Van Engen, Van der Klink, & Schippers, 2017) is critical, not only to the articulation of inclusive development theories, but also to the design of appropriate (family) interventions to improve quality of life. While there has been increased interest in disability issues in developing countries, there is limited data available in this field (Loeb & Eide, 2008).…”