Access to and utilisation of sexual and reproductive healthcare for women and girls with cerebral palsy: a scoping review

Women with cerebral palsy have the same sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) needs and rights as non-disabled women across the life course. Multi-level barriers prevent their SRH needs from being met in a timely way. Grouped according to Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological model, these include physical and psychosocial determinants. The aim of this scoping review was to collate global literature of access to, and utilisation of, SRH for women with cerebral palsy across the life course. We screened five databases for international empirical studies published in English between 2000-2019. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. The review highlights that women with cerebral palsy face challenges to receiving good quality healthcare, including limited practitioner knowledge and training on the effects of cerebral palsy in adulthood and how it interacts with women's SRH needs. Much more research is needed to inform the provision of appropriate SRH treatment for women with cerebral palsy across the life course. Points of interest This article blends together the findings of 12 international studies on healthcare of girls and adult women with cerebral palsy, particularly focusing on sexual and reproductive health and healthcare. The review indicates a significant gap in evidence about the experiences of healthcare transitions for women with cerebral palsy as they move from childhood to adulthood and children's to adult healthcare The review highlights large gaps in the global literature, in relation to sexual and reproductive healthcare across the lifecourse of disabled women in general, but women with cerebral palsy in particular. The studies found that General Practitioners (GPs) (family doctors) did not consider how prescribed contraceptives relate to impairment effects for girls and women with cerebral palsy. Barriers to good quality sexual and reproductive healthcare for women with cerebral palsy include: inaccessible physical environment and procedures (cervical smear and breast scans), and limited practitioner knowledge about the effects of cerebral palsy in adulthood for women and its interaction with sexual and reproductive health needs.