Childbirth Experience, Mistreatment, and Migrant Status: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Childbirth experience can affect women's long-term health and well-being. However, there is limited knowledge on whether migrant status affects woman's experience during childbirth. We aimed to answer the following research questions: (1) Is there a difference in childbirth experience between migrant and native-born women in Iceland; and (2) Are migrant women more likely to experience mistreatment in childbirth compared to native-born women in Iceland? Methods An online survey was developed including the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire 2 to assess overall childbirth experience, and descriptive analysis and linear regression were conducted to determine differences between migrant and native-born women in Iceland. The mistreatment by care providers in childbirth indicators were used to evaluate mistreatment in childbirth, and frequencies and logistic regression were conducted. Both regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic and obstetric factors. Results A total of 1365 women participated. Migrant women reported statistically significantly lower scores for birth experience compared to native-born women (F [12, 1352] = 23.97, p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between groups regarding mistreatment in childbirth. One in four of all women reported at least one form of mistreatment. Conclusion This study suggests that there are areas in maternity care that can be improved upon, particularly in providing care for migrant women and addressing mistreatment in childbirth for all. Our results suggest further research in this area as well as evaluation of maternity systems, training in cultural competency and effective communication.