Advocating for Safe and Equitable Obstetric and Gynecologic Care for Immigrants

Immigrants face challenges in navigating complex policies that govern access to health care, shelter, food, and clean water, resulting in profound effects on health care outcomes, including increased risk of preterm births and decreased access to preventive health services. These disparities are further exacerbated when immigration policies result in mass detention, incarceration, and deportation, leading to profound trauma among undocumented immigrants and their communities. Obstetrician–gynecologists and other reproductive health care professionals should be prepared to practice immigration-informed care and ensure clinical spaces are welcoming to immigrants. Unless mandated by law, health care professionals should document only information related to a patient's migration history that is necessary for the ongoing clinical care. Health care institutions should provide robust guidance and support for health care personnel and patients faced with the continued complexities of the dynamic landscape of immigration policies. Obstetrician–gynecologists should advocate for the unique needs of patients who are immigrants to promote reproductive justice and health equity.