Maternity Care Experiences of African-Born Women Living in Melbourne, Australia: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

African-born women in Australia are more likely to experience poorer perinatal outcomes than their Australian-born counterparts. This disparity may be attributed to difficulties in accessing maternity care services. With a rapidly growing African-born population in Australia, understanding African-born women's experiences with maternity care is crucial for ensuring equitable access.

This study aimed to explore the access to and experiences of maternity care among African-born women living in Melbourne, Australia.

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted from September to December 2023, involving 15 purposively selected African-born women. An apriori analytic approach was applied to present the findings using the World Health Organization's Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality framework. Data management and analysis were undertaken using NVivo 14.

Participants from nine different African countries shared their experiences regarding their most recent encounters with maternity care in Australia. Key challenges identified included difficulties navigating the healthcare system, lack of social support, discomfort with male clinicians, experiences of discrimination, inadequate information, transportation issues, perceived lack of empowerment, financial constraints, and clinician cultural insensitivity. These factors negatively impacted their maternity care experiences.

This study provides empirical evidence to inform policies, practices, and strategies aimed at improving maternity care experiences for African-born women in Australia. There is a need for clinicians to be more aware of and sensitive to these women's cultural needs. Developing and implementing a culturally responsive service model could mitigate negative experiences and enhance access to adequate maternity care, ultimately improving perinatal health outcomes for these women.