Objective Negative childbirth experiences can be detrimental to maternal and child health. To promote health equity, there is a need to understand how different immigrant populations experience childbirth in their host countries. In Canada, there is a growing population of Arab immigrants, however, there are yet to be any studies exploring the childbirth experiences of Arab immigrant and refugee women in Canada. This study aims to explore the childbirth experiences of Arab immigrant and refugee women in the Ontario (Canada) healthcare system and identify communication needs. Methods This descriptive qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with nine Arab immigrant or refugee women who had given birth in Ontario, Canada within the past seven years. Framework analysis was used to analyze the interview data. Results Five themes were established related to childbirth experiences and communication dynamics. Women interviewed discussed (1) lack of birth preparedness, (2) needing emotional, physical, and language support, (3) uncertainty surrounding the role of maternity care providers, (4) the importance of culturally and religiously sensitive care, and (5) fostering respectful and empowering relationships with Arab women. Conclusions Childbirth care for Arab immigrant and refugee women may be improved by encouraging maternity care providers to explicitly explain their professional roles and responsibilities. Cultural and religious sensitivity training would further enhance the quality of care provided during childbirth. Offering tools that empower Arab women to seek childbirth-related information and access justice when professional misconduct occurs can improve their experiences of receiving care.
Alsefaou et al. (Mon,) studied this question.