BACKGROUND:
It is estimated that 10% of women of childbearing age globally have a disability. Women with disabilities are at greater risk of complications and adverse perinatal outcomes than other women and experience barriers in accessing maternity care. There is limited evidence regarding the experiences of maternity care providers working with women with disabilities during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES:
To explore the views and experiences of clinicians caring for women with disabilities accessing maternity care at a tertiary maternity hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

METHODS:
Two focus groups were conducted (October and December 2024) to explore clinicians’ views of providing care to women with disabilities in the maternity setting. In total 33 clinicians participated, and included midwives, obstetricians, an occupational therapist, social workers and a student midwife. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically.

RESULTS:
Clinicians described numerous systemic and operational barriers to providing care for women with disabilities. Issues included inconsistent identification processes, unclear definitions, and poor documentation. Limited communication within teams, lack of referral pathways, insufficient access to specialist services, as well as time and resource constraints were common concerns. Participants called for improved identification and documentation processes, greater integration with allied health, increased specialist availability, and targeted staff training. Suggestions included dedicated clinics or care teams and regular case coordination meetings, as well as more consistent documentation of care plans.

CONCLUSIONS:
Clinicians highlighted the need for standardised processes, better communication, and enhanced multidisciplinary coordination to improve care for women with disabilities. Addressing gaps in identification, documentation, and specialist access is essential. Investment in staff training and dedicated services, along with clinician and consumer co-design, will be critical for achieving more equitable and effective maternity care for women with disabilities.

KEY MESSAGE:
Improving maternity care for women with disabilities requires systemic changes, including standardised practices, better team coordination, and addressing critical service gaps. Poster session 1 (Group A)