A UK and Crown Dependencies survey of neurodivergent people's experiences of maternity care. 241 people told us what helped, what made care
difficult and what maternity services could do differently.
By Laura Spence, Dr Claire Feeley, Camilla Foulsham & Emilie Edwards
82.6%Not asked how they preferred to receive information
77.9%Not asked how they preferred to communicate
79.5%Not offered support or adjustments unless they asked
64.5%Not always given enough time to process information
87.5%*Described part of their care as upsetting, overwhelming or traumatic
4.2% felt maternity staff understood neurodivergence well enough.
Source: NeuroNatal Voices survey, 2026. Percentages are based on the people who answered each question and do not describe all neurodivergent people.
*Not a measure of clinically diagnosed birth trauma.
What made care difficult
Environments that were too noisy, bright, busy or overwhelming
Information given too quickly, only verbally, or differently by different staff
Not enough time to understand information, ask questions or make decisions
Having to explain the same needs again and again
Adjustments in care plans not always followed, even after disclosure
Feeling dismissed or misunderstood, while pain, fear or overload made it harder to speak up
What good care looked like
Explaining what was happening and what would happen next
Giving information in writing
Allowing more time to think and ask questions
Reducing noise, bright lighting or other sensory input where possible
Respecting people's choices
Reading care plans and following agreed adjustments
Small changes often made a big difference. Good care meant taking the
time to understand the individual.
What needs to change
Four practical steps for maternity services
1
Ask
Ask about communication, sensory, information and access needs before someone is struggling.
2
Listen
Listen to what helps each person. Their needs may change during pregnancy, birth and afterwards.
3
Record
Record agreed adjustments and share them with staff providing care, so people don't have to keep explaining their needs.
4
Act
Put adjustments into practice. Check whether they help and make changes when needed.
Who took part
241 people, across many neurotypes
Survey period
4 May – 1 June 2026
Who could take part
Neurodivergent adults, with or without a formal diagnosis, who had used maternity services in the UK or Crown Dependencies in the last five years
Responses
261 received, 241 included in the analysis
Diagnosis
71.5% formally diagnosed, 28.0% self-identified
Carried out by
NeuroNatal Academy CIC. Not an NHS or university research study.
Most respondents were White women aged 30–39 who received care in
England. Future work needs to hear from more people of different ethnic
backgrounds, gender identities, ages and parts of the UK and Crown
Dependencies.
Neurodivergent identities
ADHD43.6%
AuDHD34.4%
Self-identifying as neurodivergent22.0%
Autistic15.8%
Dyslexic14.1%
Sensory processing differences10.8%
People could select more than one, so percentages do not total 100%.
What happens next
From listening, to change
This is an early report of the NeuroNatal Voices findings. We plan to
look at the written survey responses in more detail, and we hope
maternity services, universities, professional organisations and
policymakers will use these findings to improve care.
“Self-advocacy cannot be the accessibility plan.”
Jodie Hill, Disability Employment Lawyer, Founder of Thrive Law
