Views and experiences of maternity care in the UK by women seeking asylum
Citation: McKnight P, Goodwin L, Kenyon S. A systematic review of asylum-seeking women’s views and experiences of UK maternity care. Midwifery. 2019;77:16-23.
Language: Abstract and full text available in EN.
Free to view: Yes.
Funding sources: National Institute for Health Research through the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for West Midlands programme and the West Midlands Internship programme of Birmingham Health Partners (UK).
What is this? In this systematic review, the authors searched for qualitative literature that examined the experiences of asylum seekers who received maternity care in the UK. They searched in May 2018 for articles published in English since January 2000. They included six studies. This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO, number CRD 42018057922.
What was found: Seven themes emerged from the experiences of asylum seekers: communication, isolation, mental health, professional attitudes, access to healthcare, effects of dispersal, and housing challenges.
Examples of communication challenges were the absence of interpretation services, informed consent, use of gestures, reliance on community members for interpretation, and written information. Asylum seekers often experienced social and financial isolation which impacted emotional wellbeing and agency.
Difficulties in accessing care included language barriers, physical barriers, geographical barriers, lack of childcare, or being refused services. Dispersal disrupted maternity care and social networks, and was associated with poorer mental health. Lastly, poor housing facilities, lack of hygiene, feelings of vulnerability, and unsuitable food were reported.
Some participants reported positive professional attitudes and kindness from health professionals; though others reported stereotyping, racism, and hostility.
Implications: Pregnant women seeking asylum face unique challenges in navigating maternity care in the UK. There is a need to improve access and experiences for this vulnerable population.
Other considerations: The authors of the review discussed their findings in the context of race, ethnicity, culture, and language.
This summary was prepared by Joly Ghanawi, checked by Sydney Johnson, and finalized by Anne-Marie Glenny.