Somali women's experiences of antenatal care: A qualitative interview study

Renate Utne,Chloe Lindsay Antrobus-Johannessen,Vigdis Aasheim,Katrine Aasekjær,Eline Skirnisdottir Vik

doi:10.1016/j.midw.2020.102656

Renate Utne, Chloe Lindsay Antrobus-Johannessen + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2020.102656

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo explore Somali women's experiences of antenatal care in Norway. DesignA qualitative study based on individual semi-structured interviews conducted either face-to-face or over the phone. SettingNorway. ParticipantsEight Somali-born women living in Norway. Key findingsFour themes were generated from the analysis. From their experiences of antenatal care in Norway, the Somali women described: 1) when care was provided in a way that gained their trust, they made better use of the available health services, 2) the importance of continuity of care and of sharing commonalities with the caregiver, 3) a need for accessible information, specifically tailored to the needs of Somali women and 4) how culturally insensitive caregivers had a negative impact on the quality of care. Conclusion and implications for practiceThe Somali women in this study were grateful for the care provided, although the quality of antenatal care did not always meet their needs. This study should serve as a reminder of the importance of establishing trust between the pregnant woman and the caregiver, strengthening interpretation services and assuring tailored information is available to Somali women at an early stage. The findings further suggest that antenatal care for Somali women may be improved by offering continuity of care and improving clinical and cultural skills in clinicians. Suggestions for practice, and future research, include initiating group antenatal care especially tailored to Somali women.

Highlights

Migration is increasing globally and today one in seven of the world’s population are migrants (World Health Organization, 2018a)
Women eligible to participate in the study were first generation, Somali-born immigrant women with experience of Norwegian antenatal care
Four themes were generated from the analysis. In their encounters with antenatal care in Norway, the Somali women described: 1) when care was provided in a way that gained their trust, they made better use of the available health services, 2) the importance of continuity of care and of sharing commonalities with the caregiver, 3) a need for accessible information, tailored to the needs of Somali women and 4) how culturally insensitive caregivers had a negative impact on the quality of care

Summary

Introduction

Migration is increasing globally and today one in seven of the world’s population are migrants (World Health Organization, 2018a). With an increasing number of migrant users of the health care system, public health services must adjust to meet the various needs of different migrant groups (World Health Organization, 2018b). In Norway, migrant women accounted for 29% of all births in 2018 (Statistics Norway, 2019), and Somali women constitute the largest non-Western group of birthing women (Dzamarija, 2017). Most Somali women have a refugee background, live in low-income families (Henriksen, 2007), and give birth to more children than other women in Norway (Tønnessen, 2014). Refugees in Norway are often welcomed in the districts; tend to move to larger cities if the opportunity arise (Tønnessen, 2014). Migrant women’s first encounter with the Norwegian health care system is often related to pregnancy and antenatal care (Ahlberg and Vangen, 2005), underlining the importance of exploring migrant women’s experiences related to such care

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