Immigrant women looking for information about the perinatal period on digital media: A qualitative study

Smartphones' development has allowed continuous access to information about the perinatal period on digital media. Knowing about immigrant women's experience on digital media may help health and social care professionals to fine-tune their care.

Our primary aim is to analyse how immigrant women experience information about the perinatal period on digital media. Our secondary aim is to discuss how health and social care professionals perceive the experiences of these women.

A qualitative study conducted in Switzerland encompassing semi-directed interviews with immigrant women (n = 20), health and social care professionals (n = 30) and interpreters (n = 12) completed with ethnographic observations and interviews.

Immigrant women form a diverse social group. They consequently use an array of social media to find information about the perinatal period depending on their linguistic and digital skills. Reflexively, they expect information found online to be of unequal quality and value information provided by professionals. They adapt their practices to their experience and may avoid media that negatively affects them. Their experience with digital media reflects the overall perinatal experience, providing clues for carers. Professionals worry about the difficult situations some immigrant women live in and stress that digital portals form barriers to services. Professionals may overlook immigrant women's use of digital media and their need for guidance.

Immigrant women use digital media to find information about the perinatal period to prepare for birth and the post-partum. They rely on unequal capabilities to do so and need translated information and holistic woman-centred support.