In the master's thesis, the author explores the experience of pregnancy, childbirth, midwifery treatment, and the postpartum period in women with experience of sexual abuse in childhood. The theoretical part focuses on the pervasive effects of sexual abuse on these periods. The author focuses on the emotional, psychological as well as physical aspects of the consequences of abuse, and on the recommended ways of midwifery and obstetric care of women who experienced childhood sexual abuse. The first part presents the importance of understanding the extent of the consequences of sexual violence and the importance of sensitive, holistic, woman-centered midwifery care. It shows the frequent hardships, mental disorders, and other challenges that women face and focuses on the importance of support. In the last part of the theoretical part of the presentation, there are also challenges during breastfeeding, motherhood, upbringing, and partnership that can occur in a woman with experience of abuse.
The empirical part presents and researches the mentioned phenomena with the help of a qualitative phenomenological methodology. The study included 5 women with experience of childhood sexual abuse and with experience of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. Women were between 20 and 60 years old, mostly with a university degree. Based on listening to and analyzing transcripts of in-depth interviews conducted by the author with the participants, she finds out how women experienced the phenomenon of pregnancy, childbirth, midwifery treatment and motherhood. The results showed that most experienced different fears during pregnancy, although they were mostly looking forward to the pregnancy. In addition, the results showed the importance of compassionate treatment and support during childbirth. One of the participants experienced sexual violence by health professionals as a child. All also described feelings of inaudibility, lack of support during childbirth, some also verbal violence experienced by health professionals. Most of the participants had a negative birth experience, which also affected the postpartum period. The research has also shown the frequency of other forms of violence by multiple perpetrators.
We included five women who experienced childhood sexual abuse and pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood in our phenomenological research. We researched the individual and general experiences of all participants. The results of the research cannot be generalized to the general population, but the results can be a guide for further research in this area and especially for an in-depth understanding of pregnancy, childbirth, midwifery and motherhood in women with childhood sexual abuse.
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