Maternity experiences of asylum seekers in England

Asylum seeking women are a marginalized and vulnerable group who may have complex emotional and mental health needs, including grief for the children, families and friends they have lost or left behind, and the chronic uncertainty of the asylum process. This article describes the findings of a qualitative study of the maternity experiences of thirty-three asylum seekers, based on semi-structured interviews carried out in seven English cities. The women who took part in the study described problems in: accessing the maternity services; in obtaining information about the services and about pregnancy itself; in obtaining interpreting support for antenatal classes; postnatal care; and in securing the right to make choices about their own care. Half of the women encountered explicit hostility and racism from within the maternity services. The majority described feelings and behaviour consistent with postnatal depression, and most were very isolated and had significant unmet needs for social support.