Psychosocial costs of transferring indigenous women from their community for birth

Abstract

Objective: To describe the psychosocial effect of transferring Canadian Inuit women out of their communities for birth.

Design: Semi-structured interviews.

Setting: Two communities in the central Canadian arctic.

Participants: Postnatal women and their partners, Inuit community members.

Main findings: Women face many stressors as a result of being transferred from their community for the birth of their baby, not least of which is the lack of a partner and family support. Stressors were categorised as emotional, physical and economic, and women were given little choice or support for the place of birth and method of delivery.

Key conclusions and implications for practice: Midwives need to be aware of the psychosocial disruption and stress faced by women and their families as a result of being transferred from their community for birth. Maternal/child policies and care need to focus more on the psychosocial aspects of labour, such as family and professional support, and less on the physical aspects which cannot be adequately addressed without culturally sensitive care. Consumers must be involved in the development of maternity services.