Understanding equity-oriented maternity care for women of refugee background in high-income countries: a qualitative systematic review
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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Aishah Jameel1,2, Nicole Pope3, Fran Hearn4
1Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. ajameelahmed@student.unimelb.edu.au.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Women of refugee background in high-income countries experience disproportionately poorer maternity care experiences and maternal health outcomes compared to non-refugee women. Their maternity care needs remain under-recognised and under-researched. AIM: This qualitative systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence on (1) what women of refugee background need from maternity care in high-income countries, and (2) the barriers and enablers experienced by health, social, and community-based maternity care professionals providing maternity care to this population. METHODS: Following the JBI methodology for systematic reviews, five databases were searched for peer-reviewed qualitative studies published in English between 2013 and 2025. Eligible studies were screened, data were extracted and appraised critically for methodological quality. Findings were synthesised using meta-aggregation and the overall confidence in synthesised findings were assessed using the JBI ConQual approach. The EQUIP framework was applied to the findings to ensure health equity considerations were captured. FINDINGS: Fifty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Three synthesised findings were generated: (1) Structural and systemic factors shape the provision of and access to equity-oriented maternity care; (2) Key components to equity-oriented maternity care are: trauma-informed care, culturally responsive care, woman and family-centred care, and continuity of care and carer; and (3) women’s settlement experiences influence their transition to new healthcare systems. CONCLUSION: Addressing the persistent health inequities faced by women of refugee background in high-income countries requires systemic reform, sustainable workforce investments and specialised training for care providers. Further research on the co-design of equity-oriented care interventions is also needed to ensure maternity services are responsive to the needs of this population.
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