Immigrant Women’s Experiences of Maternity-Care Services In Canada: A Narrative Synthesis
Canada is a popular destination for immigrants, including childbearing families who arrive from all parts of the world. Many more immigrants are now arriving from Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Evidence suggests that immigrant women have difficulties in finding and accessing maternity services. This is particularly true for those who do not understand or understand little English. If immigrant women cannot or do not utilize existing maternity services, their health and the health of their unborn child or infant may suffer in both the short and long term. We used an established way of examining existing literature, namely a narrative synthesis review, to assess the experiences of immigrant women accessing maternity-care services in Canada. We identified five major areas of concern: (1) barriers to utilization of services during pregnancy, (2) adequacy of care during the delivery and after the birth of the infant, (3) barriers identified before and after pregnancy (4) lack of adequate social support and feelings of isolation, and (5) outcomes related to access to and use of services. In summary, we identified that immigrant woman in Canada face problems related to the utilization of and access to services, including availability and awareness of appropriate information and support as well as conflicting expectations on the parts of the women and service providers. Our team included researchers experienced in review methods, with partners from Alberta Health Services, Public Health Agency of Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and an award –winning immigrant support agency, the Multi-cultural Health Brokers Co-operative.
