Best Practices for Obstetric Care of Physical Disabilities

Patients with physical disabilities face many barriers to obstetric care. Facility limitations affect the ability to perform routine exams, including fundal heights and patient weights. These patients are at increased risk of antepartum and intrapartum complications, including preterm labor, lower birth weight infants, worsening functional status, and autonomic dysreflexia as well as increased likelihood of cesarean delivery. Postpartum, they face decreased rates of breastfeeding, increased rates of postpartum depression, and a lack of accessible infant care items. Provider education focusing on the specific needs of these patients in the peripartum period is necessary to improve their care.