Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | T | The Exceptional Parent

Gynecological and reproductive healthcare for women with special needs.

Article Excerpt
This is the third article I have authored for EP in 2002 on gynecological and reproductive care for teenage and adult women with special needs. In February and May I reported the findings of two research studies conducted over the past decade. This article will outline issues that parents, direct support professionals (DSPs), health care professionals and teenage and young-adult women themselves face as they access gynecological and reproductive health care. It also describes approaches that parents, DSPs and primary care providers who support teens and young women with developmental disabilities have found to be helpful.

A Matter of Attitude and Perception

Heightened advocacy for people with special needs has resulted in a greater awareness of their need for comprehensive, quality health care. Unfortunately, not all areas of health care have received equal attention, and gynecological and reproductive care still remains outside the awareness of most primary care providers. One reason for this is that many providers do not believe they have adequate training to serve young women with special needs, and thus feel ill-equipped to deal with emotional and behavioral issues that may arise.

Another reason that teens with special needs do not receive care is that their parents and DSPs do not believe that these young women are sexually active and that, therefore, gynecological check-ups are unnecessary. While this point of view is common, it is often inaccurate. Many teens and young women are indeed sexually active and may not wish to disclose this to their parents. Even when not sexually active they still need to be tested for cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer, especially as they get older. While sonograms can test for some types of cancer, a PAP smear is essential for the detection of cervical cancer. If women learn about their bodies from an early age, and meet regularly with a primary care provider who provides gynecological care, they will be much more likely to participate in and accept the regular care that is recommended.

An important consideration is the high rate of sexual abuse of young women with developmental disabilities. Primary care providers are in a strategic position to screen for and identify abuse of these vulnerable young women. If teens are seen early for gynecological care, particularly by a provider who is sensitive to abuse issues, they will be better equipped to avoid...