{
  "abstract": "Autistic women experience increased obstetric and perinatal risks, partly driven by communication barriers within maternity care. Evidence on how these barriers are experienced in low- and middle-income countries remains scarce. This study aimed to analyze communication barriers in perinatal care based on narratives of autistic women who experienced pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care in Brazil. A qualitative study was conducted using the Hermeneutic-Dialectic Circle (HDC) approach. Thirty-four autistic women (22 with support level 1 and 12 with support level 2, including three non-speaking participants with complex communication needs) were recruited through convenience sampling, supplemented by active recruitment through participant referral, and participated in semi-structured interviews conducted in multiple accessible formats (video call, real-time messaging, in-person, and augmentative and alternative communication). Data were analyzed using constant comparative methods within the hermeneutic-dialectic framework, guided by the social model of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm. Three central categories were constructed: (1) communicational demands of autistic women and their non-recognition, including alexithymia, sensory hypersensitivity, and need for predictability; (2) institutional and interpersonal communication failures, encompassing symptom invalidation, disrespectful care, and exclusion of non-speaking women; and (3) experiences of respectful and effective communication, demonstrating that adapted strategies promote safety and autonomy. Participants’ narratives indicate that communication barriers in perinatal care for autistic women operate systemically rather than individually. Training healthcare professionals and implementing accessible communication strategies are essential to promote respectful, safe, and inclusive maternity care.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil",
    "Graduate Program in Collective Health, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil",
    "Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, South Holland, The Netherlands",
    "Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil",
    "Professor Fernando Figueira Institute of Integral Medicine (IMIP), Recife, Brazil"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 13,
  "authors": [
    {
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        0
      ],
      "name": "Aline Veras Morais Brilhante"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Christina César Praça Brasil"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Raimunda Magalhães da Silva"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Marjan Askari"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Luciana Andrade da Mota Sampaio"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jonas Loiola Gonçalves"
    },
    {
      "name": "Layane Sabóia"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lucas Alessandro Macedo Cruz"
    },
    {
      "name": "Helena Rodrigues Dias"
    },
    {
      "name": "Luciel Almeida Cavalcanti"
    },
    {
      "name": "Maria Julya Albuquerque Parente"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mariana Tavares Rocha"
    },
    {
      "name": "Melania Maria Ramos de Amorim"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9cr9793w1hsct.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0358429",
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  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
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  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
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  "native_subjects": [
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  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-16",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9cr9793w1hsct.ris",
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    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:49Z",
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  "title": "Communication barriers in perinatal care for autistic women: A qualitative study using the hermeneutic-dialectic circle in Brazil",
  "title_text": "Communication barriers in perinatal care for autistic women: A qualitative study using the hermeneutic-dialectic circle in Brazil",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:49Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9cr9793w1hsct",
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