A “better service” promoting “better experiences”: Midwives’ experiences working in a caseload service for women of refugee backgrounds

Women of refugee backgrounds living in high-income countries experience health inequities. One contributing factor is maternity services that are unresponsive to their particular needs. In 2016, after a service evaluation identified significant issues, an Australian tertiary hospital redesigned a service for women of refugee backgrounds by incorporating continuity of midwifery carer with 24/7 phone access to midwives and interpreters. Midwives provided group antenatal care at a community venue with an onsite social worker, interpreters, and postnatal care at home. There is a dearth of literature describing midwives’ experiences of working in such services.

Refugee Pregnancy Clinic – cohealth

The Refugee Pregnancy Clinic is a midwife-led clinic providing pregnancy care and support to women and people from refugee backgrounds and those seeking asylum. This is a free program (no cost) and based in Footscray.

Rahma Health

Rahma supports Arabic speaking families to enjoy the magic of the first 5 years of a child’s life. Through world-class healthcare information, a community-led approach and the power of technology, we help our communities lead fulfilled, happy, healthy lives.

PANDA online mental health checklist

Many refugee women and women seeking asylum arrive in high-income countries with unmet preventive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care needs. Primary healthcare providers (HCPs) are usually refugee and asylum seekers’ first point of care. This study aimed to identify HCP characteristics associated with initiating conversations and discussing SRH opportunistically during other health interactions.

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