Lesbian and bisexual couples experiencing dual motherhood: (dis)encounters in the provision of healthcare.
Manoel Antonio Dos SantosAmanda Brandane MinariÉrika Arantes de Oliveira CardosoPublished in: Ciencia & saude coletiva (2023)
The bond with healthcare services is a crucial dimension in facilitating the maternal journey of lesbian and bisexual women couples. This study aimed to analyze the culturally constructed meanings regarding the bond with healthcare services and professionals by lesbian and bisexual women who experienced dual motherhood. It is a qualitative investigation grounded in interpretative anthropology. The research corpus was built based on in-depth interviews with 10 lesbian and bisexual women, aged 30 to 39 years. The results indicate that access to parenthood, until its realization, involved a journey permeated by satisfactions and sufferings triggered by failed attempts and gestational losses. Challenges experienced in healthcare provision were also reported due to prejudices, lack of empathy, and unpreparedness of professionals in dealing with prenatal care for lesbian and bisexual women couples. Manifestations of discrimination were more pronounced concerning non-gestational mothers. The findings offer insights into implementing policies that prioritize humanization and planning programs and healthcare services based on culturally sensitive care for lesbian and bisexual women couples as they transition into dual motherhood.
Keyphrases
- healthcare
- pregnancy outcomes
- men who have sex with men
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- hiv positive
- pregnant women
- hiv testing
- palliative care
- primary care
- public health
- cervical cancer screening
- weight gain
- breast cancer risk
- affordable care act
- body mass index
- health information
- social media
- insulin resistance
- adipose tissue
- chronic pain
- birth weight
- physical activity
- health insurance
- human immunodeficiency virus
- pain management
- optical coherence tomography
- antiretroviral therapy