Recency of migration, region of origin and women's experience of maternity care in England: Evidence from a large cross-sectional survey.
Jane Henderson, Claire Carson, Hiranthi Jayaweera and 2 others
PMID 30273924WHAT IT FOUND
Women born outside the UK reported poorer maternity care experiences than UK-born women, with recent migrants from Central and Eastern Europe feeling least understood and respected during labour.
Despite having fewer clinical complications, these women were significantly less satisfied with their care.
Key findings
01Compared to UK-born women, all migrant women were more critical of their care at each stage, with recent migrants from Accession countries significantly less likely to feel spoken to so they could understand or treated with kindness and respect.
02Recent migrants from Accession countries had a lower likelihood of being very satisfied with care during labour and birth compared to UK-born women (Adjusted OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.22, 0.93).
03Recent migrants from Accession countries were more likely to have a normal delivery (81%) compared to UK-born women (65%), yet reported more negative perceptions of care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The response rate was 54%, and women born outside the UK were significantly less likely to respond, potentially underestimating the extent of poor experiences among migrants. The use of interpreters for completing the questionnaire was seldom used in practice, meaning women with limited English proficiency may be underrepresented. The study was underpowered to detect small differences within some aggregated groups due to small sample sizes. Recency of migration was not stated for 27% of women born outside the UK.
Declared interests
The authors declare no competing interests. The study was funded by the Policy Research Programme in the Department of Health, which was not involved in any aspect of the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that recent migrants from Accession countries have worse clinical outcomes. They actually had fewer complications and higher rates of normal births than UK-born women. Their negative experiences were driven by communication gaps and differing expectations of care intensity, not by clinical deterioration.