“Under great anxiety”: Pregnancy experiences of Vietnamese women with physical disabilities seen through an intersectional lens

Abstract

BackgroundThere is scant research on pregnancy experiences of women with physical disabilities in low and middle-income countries. This qualitative study used an intersectional lens to explore pregnancy experiences of women with physical disabilities in northern Vietnam. Specifically, socio-cultural, economic, and environmental influences were analysed, drawing upon their lived experiences. MethodsTwo in-depth interviews were conducted at different time-points in 2018 with women with physical disabilities who had given birth in the previous three years. Twenty-nine women participated in the first interview and 27 in the follow-up interview. The interviews were thematically analysed. ResultsThe women were happy and excited when discovering their pregnancy but they also experienced anxiety, fear, and distress. Their ambivalence related to concerns around having a child with disabilities, their capability to carry a pregnancy, and their mothering abilities. Negative community views of disability were internalised by the women. These socio-culturally constructed beliefs led to lack of confidence in their pregnancy journey. This was exacerbated by inaccessible environments that contributed to increased risk of falls, and women who used wheelchairs experienced particular difficulties. Other powerful influences included poverty, lost income, and costs associated with pregnancy. Single mothers with disabilities experienced additional stigma and discrimination as Vietnamese society judged their pregnancies as socially unacceptable. ConclusionThis study contributes to knowledge and understanding about women with physical disabilities, specifically how the intersection of gender, disability, socio-economic, and marital status shaped their pregnancy experiences in Vietnam. Multiple challenges were encountered by the women in their pregnancy journey, including negative community views, inaccessible environments, and poverty. The findings highlight the necessity for Vietnamese women with physical disabilities to be actively engaged in talking about their experiences to ensure maternal and child health providers become more sensitive to their pregnancy and motherhood needs.