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The subject of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) has historically been a silent one. In
the last decade, this silence has been eroding. This study explores the largely under
researched area of how pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period are experienced by
women who have been sexually abused in childhood. In order to capture the richness
of these women's experiences, the qualitative research method of semi-structured
interviews was selected. The findings bring to light the elements, both positive and
negative, which influence the participant's lived experience of childbearing. It also
brings a focus to the part played by memory in this experience. In giving voice to the
legacy of CSA in childbirth, it is hoped that this research will inform training in the
midwifery profession and serve as a guide to practitioners in counselling and psychotherapy.
