Maternal health services for refugee populations: Exploration of best practices

Abstract

The full scope of women's health needs is not necessarily addressed in refugee camps and after resettlement, particularly pregnancy and postnatal services. The aims of this research are to examine the maternal care services provided to refugee women in camps and after resettlement to the United States, and to analyse organisational successes and challenges in service provision. With this understanding, policies can improve service delivery for refugee women. We interviewed respondents from five organisations, ranging from local non-profits to international non-governmental organisations. Most of the organisations do not provide direct medical care, but rather education and social service support to clients, and in some cases midwife training. Their success stemmed from a focus on client capacity building, individualised support, effective partnerships, and cultural competency. Respondents described the need for physical resources, effective leadership, and additional personnel, especially with linguistic capabilities. The dialogue in the interviews supports themes of education as empowerment and client self-sufficiency. Respondents emphasised the importance of funding and policies that support their work. This knowledge can lead to improved models of service delivery and inform the development of best practices and policies in maternal and reproductive health for refugee women.

Sustainability in Refugee Camps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Africa is the most mentioned continent with 14 different countries, followed by Asia with 11 different countries. North America was mentioned once as a host country for refugees who lived in camps before and not as a country that hosts an RC [14]. The study that has the highest number of host country locations is the study of Hynes et al [15], where they studied refugee maternal mortality in 25 camps in 10 countries.…”

Evaluating Birth Outcomes From a Community-Based Pregnancy Support Program for Refugee Women in Georgia

“…Additionally, the Embrace volunteers help alleviate many barriers women face in accessing and navigating pregnancy-related services, particularly as it relates to relationships and communication with providers during the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum periods ( 40 ). As highlighted by Khan and DeYoung ( 41 ), culturally sensitive programs and strategies such as these are needed to assist refugee women with accessing maternity services that can improve outcomes. Furthermore, prior studies have demonstrated that incorporating culturally sensitive strategies has been successful in addressing barriers, promoting perinatal health service use, and improving outcomes among pregnant women ( 29 , 30 ).…”

“…However, those studies will need to conduct careful power calculations to ensure the sample sizes are adequate to detect statistically significant results. Additionally, as found by several studies, the lack of cultural awareness and receptiveness among providers to refugee women's beliefs and practices surrounding birth creates disconnects between patients and providers and feelings of fear and marginalization among refugee women ( 41 , 44 , 50 ). In addition to birth education for refugee women, Embrace works closely and establishes relationships with healthcare providers in the community whom refugee women regularly see.…”

Obstetric Care among Refugees: The Complex Interplay of Barriers to Care, Culture, Health Resources and the Healthcare Infrastructure of Host Countries

“…Postpartum care within refugee camps can be widely variable depending on the location of the camp and possible proximity of clinics [64]. What is known though, is that the current refugee and migrant situation is almost unprecedented with the number of refugees that are in southern Europe, thus resources are minimal.…”