Views on cultural barriers to caring for South Asian women

Abstract

The study examined whether UK midwives perceived any difficulties in providing effective prenatal care to women from South Asian ethnic backgrounds; explored whether perceptions were associated with their length of midwifery experience and degree of contact with patients from South Asian cultural backgrounds; and collated suggestions for improving the cultural appropriateness of prenatal care. Questionnaires were returned by 30 qualified and student midwives. Respondents reported a number of communication difficulties during the prenatal care of women from South Asian backgrounds, and perceived certain cultural barriers as having at least a moderately important limiting influence on prenatal care. Midwives with higher proportions of South Asian mothers in their caseload were significantly more positive about their communications during prenatal care, and saw cultural barriers as less detrimental. Many respondents recommended closer liaison with the South Asian community to find out about pregnant women's needs, and thought it helpful to have more midwives from South Asian backgrounds in their profession.