Pregnancy, birth and parenthood after CSA

We'll be presenting the resource to you all and explaining how it has been developed and what we learned from the project. You'll also have the opportunity to use the resource yourself and tell us what you think of it. We'll also be holding a drinks and light snacks reception following our presentations.

About Pregnancy, birth and parenthood after childhood sexual abuse

This work, funded by a Wellcome Trust Engaging Science People Award, has involved the co-production of an e-
resource alongside women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA).

CSA is a serious public health issue that ‘casts a long shadow'. Its impact can last a lifetime for the one in five women affected and they frequently encounter both physical and psychological consequences. As childbirth inevitably involves the crossing of body boundaries, it can be a particularly traumatic time for these women who are often silent and hidden and who do not tend to disclose their history to healthcare professionals.

Our project has brought together women who have experienced CSA and who have either had children or hope to one day, to share their experiences and concerns. With the support of an expert advisory group we have developed an interactive e-resource including films, animations and quotes from women who have participated in our work. These powerful words will help those accessing the resource to realise that they are not alone.

The resource, which is hosted on The Survivors Trust website, raises awareness of the impact of CSA on pregnancy and birth and identifies coping strategies that have helped others cope at this time. Women can access the resource in private and at their own pace and it will therefore provide a safe space for them to explore concerns as they contemplate pregnancy, birth and parenthood.

Project team:

From King's College London:

• Dr Elsa Montgomery, Principal Investigator
• Dr Yang-Shing Chang, Lecturer
• Anne Youssef, Senior Learning Technologist

From The Survivors Trust:

• Fay Maxted, CEO, The Survivors Trust
• Sarah Cheadle, Communications Officer, The Survivors Trust

From other areas:

• Kathryn Gutteridge, President, Royal College of Midwives
• Lucy Duckworth, researcher and member of the Victims and Survivors' Consultative Panel for the Independent Inquiry into Childhood Sexual Abuse
• Julia Seng, Professor of Nursing, Obstetrics and Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan, USA