{"id":10993,"date":"2021-06-15T15:41:56","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T14:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/path-perinatal.eu\/uk\/?post_type=professionals&p=10993"},"modified":"2021-09-07T14:51:07","modified_gmt":"2021-09-07T13:51:07","slug":"learning-disability-and-perinatal-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"professionals","link":"https:\/\/path-perinatal.eu\/uk\/professionals\/learning-disability-and-perinatal-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning disability and perinatal mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"Toddler<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A learning disability is defined by the Department of Health as a \u201csignificant reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning), which started before adulthood\u201d.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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This definition includes people with an IQ of less than 70 and also deficits in social functioning and communication skills.1<\/sup><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In the UK 7% of adults with a learning disability were parents and most of them have a mild to borderline impairment, which may make it difficult to identify them as they will not have a formal diagnosis.2<\/sup><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

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The children of parents with a learning disability are more likely than any other group of children to be removed from their parents\u2019 care.3<\/sup><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Parents with a learning disability are often affected by poverty, social isolation, stress, mental health problems, low literacy and communication difficulties.2<\/sup><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have high rates of adverse perinatal outcomes including premature birth and low birthweight. A third of pregnant woman with a learning disability report moderate to severe levels of stress, anxiety and depression.4<\/sup><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Supporting women with learning disabilities5<\/sup>–<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In the antenatal period-<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Offering good quality antenatal care that meets their requirements-<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

  • <\/i><\/span>

    Extra time and support for appointments<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>

    The opportunity to have information repeated<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>

    Information about pregnancy and birth choices, and about parenting, that is presented in a form they can understand and is empowering<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>

    Involvement of family carers and advocates<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>

    Understanding the complexity of consent issues<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>

    Liaison with other agencies involved<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>

    Access to tailored and inclusive antenatal classes with focus on ensuring that each person has the opportunity to gain confidence, develop skills and make meaningful relationships<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>

    When a woman has complex needs such as learning disability or acquired cognitive impairment, consideration should be given to specialist assessment when developing a care plan.<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    In the postnatal period-<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    • <\/i><\/span>

      Avoid stereotype beliefs that people with learning disabilities cannot be good enough parents<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

    • <\/i><\/span>

      Offer social support to parents living under conditions that could contribute to poorer parenting- poverty, domestic abuse, social isolation<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>

    • <\/i><\/span>

      It is essential to recognise that parents with a learning disability may be reluctant to ask for support with parenting issues because of fears that this will raise child protection concerns<\/p><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

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      References<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      1. DoH, Valuing People, a new strategy for learning disability for the 21st century. (2001)

      2. Emerson E, Malam S, Davies I and Spencer K. Adults with learning difficulties in England 2003\/4. (2005)

      3. Booth T and Booth W and McConnell D. The prevalence and outcomes of care proceedings involving parents with a learning disability in the family courts. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. (2005)

      4. Redshaw, M., Malouf, R., Gao, H., Gray, R. Women with disability: the experience of maternity care during pregnancy, labour and birth and the postnatal period. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. (2013)

      5. MENCAP Inclusive support for parents with a learning disability. (2011)<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

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      Further reading<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills (2007) The English Good Practice Guidance on Working with Parents with a Learning Disability<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      Working Together with Parents Network (2016) Update of the DoH\/DfES Good practice guidance on working with parents with a learning disability (2007)<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      Malouf R, McLeish J, Ryan S, et al (2017).\u2018We both just wanted to be normal parents\u2019: a qualitative study of the experience of maternity care for women with learning disability BMJ Open 2017;7:e015526.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-10993","professionals","type-professionals","status-publish","hentry","professionals-cat-resources-for-hcp"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/path-perinatal.eu\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/professionals\/10993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/path-perinatal.eu\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/professionals"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/path-perinatal.eu\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/professionals"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/path-perinatal.eu\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}