Supporting access to maternity care

Refugee women may not access maternity services due to not being registered with a GP practice, inadequate interpreting support, fears about confidentiality and a lack of understanding of cultural differences. Pregnant refugee women may be unfamiliar with the types of antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care available in the UK.

Some refugee women will require more specialised support before, during and after delivery, including:

• Women affected by FGM
• Pregnant women with HIV
• Women who are pregnant as a result of rape.

HARPWEB provides links to a wide range of additional information and resources on refugee mothers.

Further guidance and information is available in the antenatal and maternity care area of this website.