Women with disabilities often do not receive adequate and necessary health care services important for all women. Reasons given by women with disabilities for not having regular pelvic exams include not being aware of the need to have one, problems getting onto the exam table, being too busy, and not being able to find a doctor who suited them or who had knowledge about their disability.

Health care providers also might assume by mistake that women with disabilities are not having sex, especially if their disability is severe or disfiguring. They may neglect to screen these women for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or even perform a full pelvic exam. Unfortunately, some health care providers even suggest to women with disabilities that they abstain from sex and not bear children, even if they can conceive children.

Women with disabilities need easy access to reproductive health information, including information about safe sex, STDs, and planning a healthy pregnancy. They also need to have regular pap tests, clinical breast exams, and mammograms.

Last updated: August 2004

Publications

1.   Information for Pregnant Women - This site contains a list of fact sheets that explain the various nutrients that are important for pregnant women.
   
   
2.   New Freedom Initiative: Fulfilling America's Promise to Americans with Disabilities - On February 1, 2001, President George W. Bush announced the New Freedom Initiative as part of a nationwide effort to remove barriers to community living for people with disabilities. This Internet site is a source for information about the initiative's specific proposals that directly involve the Department of Health and Human Services and information about Executive Order 13217, "Community-Based Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities," issued on June 18, 2001.
   
   
3. Birth Control for Women with Epilepsy (Copyright © Epilepsy Foundation ) - This fact sheet explores the complex interactions between hormonal birth control and some of the medications used to control seizures.
   
   
4. Hormones and Epilepsy (Copyright © Epilepsy Foundation) - This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked questions about hormones and epilepsy.
   
   
5. My Health Test Reminder (Copyright © CAP) - This website offers free e-mail reminders, inform women when they are due for their next pap smear, mammogram, colon cancer screening, and cholesterol test. For each test the site provides information on, it states why it is important and necessary for maintaining good health.
   
   
6. Pre-Pregnancy Planning (Copyright © UCLA) - This on-line publication talks about a woman's health before conception and how substances to which she is exposed can significantly influence the success of a pregnancy.
   
   
7. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (Copyright © Center for Research on Women with Disabilities) - This publication describes how sexually transmitted diseases affect women with disabilities, and how women can protect themselves.
   
   

Organizations

1.   Division of Reproductive Health, NCCDPHP, CDC
   
   
2.   Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Publications Information Center
   
   
3.   National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, HHS
   
   
4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Resource Center
   
   
5. American Medical Women's Association
   
   
6. American Society for Reproductive Medicine
   
   
7. Breast Health Access for Women With Disabilities
   
   
8. Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
   
   
9. Center for Research on Women with Disabilities
   
   
10. Coalition for Positive Outcomes in Pregnancy
    
    
11. International Women's Health Coalition
    
    
12. Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
    
    
13. National Asian Women's Health Organization
    
    
14. Planned Parenthood Federation of America
    
    

= Indicates Federal Resources