HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHILDBEARING 10: ACKNOWLEDGING ISLAMOPHOBIA AND DISCRIMINATION IN HEALTHCARE: THE PERINATAL EXPERIENCES OF BRITISH MUSLIMS

Abstract

This article draws on discoveries and insights gained from a five-year research project for a PhD on British Muslims’ experiences of pregnancy and birth, rooted in a decolonial and traumaaware approach. The article highlights the need to support religious and spiritual beliefs during the birth experience and the need to be mindful of the complex intersection of race and religious discrimination, in particular Islamophobia in perinatal care. A solution to the lack of understanding of healthcare needs of Muslims during the perinatal period would be a collaborative community-based approach.