For the first time in Ukraine, a sociological study has been presented that comprehensively analyzes the reproductive experiences of women with disabilities. The authors — Viktoriia Luchka, head of the NGO Safe Birth, and Hanna Zaremba-Kosovych, PhD in Sociology and researcher at the Institute of Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine — collected 14 in-depth stories from different regions, revealing how stereotypes, barriers, and biases affect women’s access to motherhood, reports Humanitarian Media Hub.
“I couldn’t get to the ultrasound until two men carried me in their arms because there were stairs and no elevator… They just picked me up and carried me. And they had to be careful, because I was pregnant. God forbid I fall,” one of the women shared.
The study shows that women with disabilities face critical physical and informational barriers when accessing medical services.
Lack of sexual education from childhood leads to unexpected pregnancies and traumatic experiences, including cases of violence.
Social pressure and medical bias often force women to hide their pregnancies or fight to keep them.
Childbirth for women with disabilities is marked either by excessive medical attention or neglect, followed by stigmatization from social services.
Despite these challenges, family support, access to information, and respectful treatment by medical staff enable women to realize their right to motherhood.
Read more: The Right to Be a Mother: Reproductive Experiences of Women with Disabilities in Ukraine
