Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Jul 5:6:41.
doi: 10.18332/ejm/147994. eCollection 2022.

A meta-ethnography of language challenges in midwifery care

Victoria L Sellevold  1 , Lene L Hamre  1 , Terese E Bondas  2
Affiliations
Review

A meta-ethnography of language challenges in midwifery care

Victoria L Sellevold et al. Eur J Midwifery. .

Abstract

Introduction: The aim was to synthesize qualitative studies that shed light on immigrant women's own experiences regarding language challenges during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period in a new country. Wikberg's theory of intercultural caring was chosen as the theoretical perspective.

Methods: This meta-ethnography was conducted in accordance with Noblit and Hare, an interpretative qualitative review approach in seven phases, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and a systematic and manual search yielding a total of 1253 articles. Seven articles were included after a quality appraisal using the CASP instrument, and the process is shown in a PRISMA chart. The 142 women from the studies represented 42 different nationalities and were residents in 6 different host countries.

Results: A synthesis model illuminates the immigrant women's experiences of language challenges. 'To comprehend and to be understood as a unique person' emerged as the overarching theme, based on the three analogous themes: 'a desire to be met with respectful understanding', 'ethical and accurate interpreting', and 'caring midwives and new relationships'. The fourth opposite theme, 'violations and feelings of inferiority' describes the immigrant women's experiences when the language challenges remained.

Conclusions: Midwives should be aware of language challenges in pregnancy, birth and postpartum care to minimize the risk of violations and unnecessary suffering related to care. The synthesis model can serve as a guide for respectful understanding, ethical and accurate interpreting, and caring, in accordance with Wikberg's dimensions of intercultural caring: universality, context, culture, and the needs and wishes of the immigrant women.

Keywords: communication; foreign women; immigration; language; meta-ethnography; qualitative review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none was reported.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flowchart
Figure 2
Figure 2
The lines-of-argument synthesis model ‘to comprehend and be understood as a unique person’
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Migration: An in-depth collection of global reporting on refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and internally displaced people. The New Humanitarian; 2022. Accessed March 17, 2022. https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/migration.
    1. Migration and migrant population statistics. Eurostat; 2022. Accessed March 17, 2022. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Migra....
    1. Flyktningregnskapet 2020 . Website in Norwegian. Norwegian Refugee Council; 2020. The refugee count 2020. Updated June 18, 2020. Accessed March 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20210418113408/ https://www.flyktninghjelpen.no/global/statistikk/begreper/
    1. Website in Norwegian. United Nations Association of Norway; 2020. Flyktninger: Det har ikke vært flere mennesker på flukt i verden siden andre verdenskrig. Updated June, 29 2021. Accessed March 17, 2022. https://www.fn.no/tema/flyktninger/flyktninger.
    1. Skretteberg R. Website in Norwegian. Flyktningregnskapet.no; 2020. 79,5 millioner på flukt i koronaens tid. 79,5 million on the run in the time of corona. Updated June, 29 2021. Accessed March 17, 2022. https://www.flyktninghjelpen.no/shorthand/fr/79.5-millioner-paa-flukt-i-....

LinkOut - more resources