Co-Design of Maternity Discussion Cards for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and babies are more likely to have poorer health outcomes compared with non-Indigenous women. Barriers exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to access high-quality maternity care, and women can experience culturally unsafe care, racism and a lack of shared decision-making.

To develop maternity discussion cards to facilitate shared decision-making between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their partners/support persons, and their maternity care clinicians.

Co-design methodology in two workshops was used to develop the maternity discussion cards.

Through a co-design process, a set of 56 topic cards and three blank cards were developed. Additional cards, including an acknowledgement of country and a description of the artwork used on the cards, were designed, and guidelines for card use were also established. Strategies including Aboriginal-led engaging activities, appropriate remuneration for Indigenous knowledge holders, and a culturally safe community setting were integral to the process of planning, designing and reviewing the maternity discussion cards.

It is envisaged that the cards will promote communication and shared decision-making in the healthcare setting. The cards may provide women with an avenue for initiating difficult conversations. While developed in an urban setting, the cards could be adapted for digital use and tailored to rural and remote healthcare environments.

A co-design process enabled the development of a practical maternity resource for expectant families. The maternity discussion cards will be piloted in a maternity setting to be evaluated and further refined by end users.

Women who identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or who had a baby who identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander were integral to co-designing the maternity discussion cards. Their knowledge and feedback informed the design, content and guidelines for use of the maternity discussion cards.