Obstetric outcomes and uptake of care among 149 non-Swedish speaking migrant women attending a birth preparation visit during pregnancy – An observational study from Sweden

Introduction

In Sweden almost one third of the population is born in another country and a large number of the women who do not speak Swedish are of reproductive age. Women migrating from low-income countries have higher risks for poor obstetric outcomes than receiving country-born citizens. INFOR (a Swedish word for “before” or “ahead of”) is an intervention offering language-assisted, individual birth preparation for non-Swedish speaking pregnant women unfamiliar with the maternity care system. The aim of this study was to describe the uptake of care and obstetric outcomes among non-Swedish speaking migrant women attending INFOR.

Methods

A descriptive study of the obstetric outcomes and uptake of care was conducted of the 149 non-Swedish speaking pregnant women who participated in INFOR between 2016 and 2020. The data were accessed retrospectively from the medical record system Obstetrix and the population-based Swedish Pregnancy Registry and analysed descriptively.

Results

Women participating in INFOR originated from 44 countries and spoke 35 different languages. During late pregnancy, 20 percent of the women sought care for decreased fetal movements and 80 percent of the women attended the postpartum visit. While the majority of the participants were offered professional language support during pregnancy, almost none had a professional interpreter present during labour and birth. After birth, 80 percent of the primiparous women were asked to rate their birth experience, but only half of the multiparous women were asked. Further, only half of the primiparous women attending the postpartum visit were asked about their self-rated health.

Conclusion

INFOR may increase uptake of some important aspects of care during pregnancy, birth and postpartum among migrants of diverse backgrounds. The findings raise concerns however about communication support for migrant women, especially during labour and birth. The offer of professional interpreting as part of standard maternity care for women who need it is essential and must be improved in order to provide equitable care for all.