Women’s Health and Sexuality

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has long been neglected in health care, driven by historical eugenic practices related to institutionalization and involuntary sterilization of women with IDD. Growing evidence from multiple regions shows women with IDD experience important disparities in sexual health, violence, cancer screening and outcomes, contraception, pregnancy outcomes and care, and mental health across the reproductive life course. There is an urgent need to address these SRH disparities through changes to the content and delivery of health care for women with IDD, training and resources for healthcare providers, and data to monitor SRH outcomes and evaluate interventions developed to address them. Such changes are needed to better support and promote the SRH of women with IDD globally.