Neurodivergence in Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a transformative journey filled with excitement, anticipation, and at times, uncertainty. For neurodivergent women and birthing people—those who identify as autistic, ADHD, Tourettes, Gifted or with other neurological differences—this experience can come with unique challenges and considerations.
Whether you're pregnant yourself, or supporting a partner through this journey, understanding the experience of pregnancy through the nuances of a neurodivergent lens can offer validation and empower the pregnant person to navigate this life stage with confidence and compassion.
In this blog, we'll explore the experience and intersection of neurodiversity and pregnancy, offering some insights, tips, and strategies to help neurodivergent individuals and their partners thrive during this special time.
Understanding Neurodiversity in Pregnancy
Neurodiversity is the concept that neurological differences are natural variations in the human brain, rather than deficits or disorders. Neurodivergent individuals may experience the world differently, with unique strengths, challenges and experiences. When it comes to pregnancy, these differences can affect everything from sensory experiences, communication with healthcare professionals, managing the emotional adjustment to parenthood as well as common tasks associated with preparing for a baby.
Sensory Sensitivities
Pregnancy can heighten sensory experiences, and sensory sensitivities are already a common challenge for many neurodivergent people. Changes in smell and taste, symptoms like nausea, fatigue, and changes in appetite may be exacerbated. The physical sensations of a growing belly, and movement of the developing baby - although signs of healthy pregnancy - can sometimes feel overwhelming and difficult to manage. Waves of sensory experiences may be exacerbated by hormonal changes and the physical demands of pregnancy throughout the pregnancy period. This may lead to additional challenges as the pregnant person may need ongoing flexibility and changes to their usual strategies to manage sensory overload at different points in their pregnancy journey. This can influence their comfort and may affect their ability to attend and/or engage with prenatal appointments.
Changes in smell and taste, symptoms like nausea, fatigue, and changes in appetite may be exacerbated.
Although reducing sensory experiences in pregnancy may not be possible, strategies to manage the increased intensity of sensory issues may be helpful. Understanding, validating the challenge and accommodating these sensitivities is crucial.
Routine and Structure
For many neurodivergent individuals, routine and predictability are key to managing day-to-day life. Pregnancy, however, can bring unpredictability, from changing body dynamics to fluctuating energy levels. Attending appointments, scans and reviews although these can be exciting, for many they can be disruptive to day-to-day life leading to increased anxiety or stress. This disruption can be particularly challenging for those who rely on structure to navigate their environment.
If unexpected roadbumps are encountered during the pregnancy that require additional changes to diet, work, medical reviews, physical capability, or other aspects of daily life, this can be especially disruptive for neurodivergent people.
Managing uncertainty
Pregnancy is inherently unpredictable! Fluctuating hormones to unexpected changes in the body, the prospect of childbirth, transition to being a parent and imagining life with a newborn, navigating the unknown and living with uncertainty is part and parcel of the experience and often be a key source of anxiety.
Further changes to identity as a parent, social network, adjustment to maternity leave from working life can also add to the unknown. For neurodivergent individuals, who might thrive on routine and predictability, this can be particularly challenging and can add to the overwhelm.
Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health
Pregnancy can be an emotionally complex time for anyone, and neurodivergent people may face additional challenges with emotional regulation or mental health in addition to managing both pregnancy and neurodivergent traits.
Neurodivergent people may experience emotional regulation differently, often feeling emotions more intensely and perhaps finding it hard to identify emotions and communicate them with others. Pregnancy hormones can intensify these feelings, leading to heightened stress or mood swings, as well as struggles with anxiety and depression which may be difficult to manage without proper support.
The emotional journey reflecting on one’s own experience of being parented, wonderings about the type of parent you want to be, acknowledging previous challenges and potential struggles as a neurodivergent person before pregnancy can also be exhausting. Reflections on complicated experiences at a time when you may be feeling vulnerable, whilst also preparing to care for a newborn can also add to the challenge and pressure on the couple relationship. Access to appropriate neuro-affirming well-being support is key.
Pregnancy with a History of Trauma
For neurodivergent individuals with a history of very difficult experiences and trauma, pregnancy can trigger past memories or fears, especially related to medical settings, interactions with professionals, or the prospect of childbirth. The body’s changes and the vulnerability of pregnancy can heighten these feelings, particularly loss of control, helplessness, dependency and anxiety making it important to address them proactively.
Some neurodivergent people are aware that their experience of being parented was not what they want for their own children. This knowledge and intention to break intergenerational parenting cycles is both empowering and also a huge pressure on a person’s shoulders, which can add to the sense of overwhelm during pregnancy. Expectations about what type of parent we will be can sometimes become problematic once the baby is born, if it turns out our ideals do not fit with reality.
This knowledge and intention to break intergenerational parenting cycles is both empowering and also a huge pressure on a person’s shoulders
Communication with Healthcare Professionals
Effective communication and trusting relationships with healthcare professionals is key to a positive pregnancy experience. Neurodivergent people might find traditional midwifery or medical settings overwhelming or struggle with the typical back-and-forth of consultations. Medical terms, acronyms, jargon, as well as facts or feedback from appointments may be difficult to digest or hold in mind.
Equally, neurodivergent people may find it challenging to communicate their needs and concerns. This can be due to differences in communication styles, fear of being misunderstood or judged, or previous negative experiences with the healthcare system. Anxiety with an unfamiliar person, coupled with sensory overload and emotional distress can all impact the appointment leading to the neurodivergent person unable to communicate or remember key information.
Navigating prenatal appointments can be daunting for neurodivergent parents, especially if they are prone to anxiety and fluctuations in emotion
Navigating prenatal appointments can be daunting for neurodivergent parents, especially if they are prone to anxiety and fluctuations in emotion. The need to remember appointments, answer multiple questions, complete forms, digest pregnancy related information and follow advice can require flexibility, adjustments from healthcare staff, in addition to assistance from partners or advocates.
It's essential for health professionals to be aware of these challenges and to approach care with patience, empathy, and an open mind.
Social Expectations and Masking
Social norms and expectations around pregnancy can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals. In some cultures, pregnancy can come with an expectation of multiple social contacts and connection with other parents-to-be. Social gatherings such as ‘gender reveal’ parties, baby showers and prenatal classes can cause significant distress, may not be enjoyable or experienced as a celebration they are intended to be.
Masking—suppressing one’s neurodivergent traits to fit in with societal norms—is a common experience. During pregnancy, the pressure to mask can intensify, especially with the expectation of conforming to the “ideal” image of pregnancy. This can lead to increased stress, emotional exhaustion, and a disconnect from one’s true self.
During pregnancy, the pressure to mask can intensify, especially with the expectation of conforming to the “ideal” image of pregnancy
Some neurodivergent people may tolerate, ‘mask’ or avoid the cultural expectations or social norms of pregnancy due to distress they cause. Opportunities that may offer points to build social connection may have the reverse effect and cause significant distress, adding stress to the pregnancy experience. This may lead to feelings of isolation or inadequacy if their experience differs from the norm and/or additional challenges with well-being, anxiety and low mood.
Executive Functioning Difficulties: Pregnancy Tasks
Executive functioning—our ability to plan, organise, and complete tasks—can be particularly challenging during pregnancy, especially when combined with other neurodivergent traits. From keeping track of appointments to preparing for the baby’s arrival, the demands can quickly become overwhelming. This may be particularly difficult if you are also working or parenting older children or even just trying to manage the day to day demands of everyday life. Digesting pregnancy related information, reading resources, remembering key information or getting through your ‘to-do’ list can be frustrating, a gateway to self-criticism and a negative cycle of complicated emotions.
The key is to embrace each person's unique needs and preferences, ensuring that the journey to welcoming a new life is as smooth and fulfilling as possible
Pregnancy is a deeply personal experience that varies widely from person to person. By recognising, attending to and respecting neurodivergence for the pregnant person and their partner in pregnancy and in preparation for the birth, both neurodivergent individuals, their partners and health professionals can work together to create a nurturing, accommodating, and joyful path to parenthood. Whether it's through tailored communication strategies, sensory adjustments, or maintaining a strong yet flexible routine, the key is to embrace each person's unique needs and preferences, ensuring that the journey to welcoming a new life is as smooth and fulfilling as possible.
At The Neurodiversity Practice we’re aware that services that are neuro-inclusive, understand, and provide neuro-affirmative care, are more likely to provide a positive pregnancy experience for neurodivergent people and their partners. This will lay the best foundation for good parental mental health, bonding with the new baby and transition to early parenting for neurodivergent families.
Want to know more?
Whether you're neurodivergent, a first-time parent, or just looking to connect with other neurodivergent parents for support and understanding, come join us in The Neurodivergent Parent Space.
Are you a professional keen to support neurodivergent pregnant people and their partners in an informed, confident and neuro-affirmative way? We’d love to chat to you about our training for practitioners.
