Perinatal care needs and expectations of women with low vision or total blindness in Warsaw, Poland.

BACKGROUND: As estimated from the number of published studies, in Poland the research into the perinatal care experiences of women with low vision or total blindness remains limited.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to fill this gap by investigating satisfaction with perinatal care received by women with visual impairment in four city hospitals in Warsaw, Poland, and to recommend, if required, modifications in midwives' education and care standards based on the women's perceptions and expectations.

METHODS: Hour-long interviews were conducted between 30 August 2014 and 2 September 2015 with 16 blind or low vision women in perinatal care, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The accounts were subsequently evaluated using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach. Five major themes were pre-selected: perceived stigma and lack of affirmation for the interviewee's motherhood, accessibility of childbirth preparation, accessibility of perinatal care and hospital facilities, midwives' attitudes and the interviewees' expectations for care improvements.

RESULTS: Overall, the accounts demonstrated the lack of satisfaction with the quality of perinatal care, including the childbirth preparation classes, hospital facilities and hospital staff approach as not actually meeting specific functional needs. They also suggested how the quality of care could be improved.

CONCLUSIONS: Specific standards and procedures for perinatal care for women who are blind or have low vision should be developed and introduced in clinical practice in Poland based on research into the experiences of these women. Also, the training of health care professionals should be modified and their attitudes changed to meet maternal needs.