gms | German Medical Science

Background: In the recent past, the number of forcibly displaced people increased worldwide [2]. Also in Germany a growing number of asylum applications was recorded [1]. About 1/3 of the asylum seeking persons in Germany are female. The majority of them are currently or in the future of childbearing age [1]. There are no exact numbers of refugee women who are pregnant or in need of maternal care while fleeing. It is estimated, that 10% to 30% of refugee women are pregnant and thus in need of obstetrical care [3]. In general pregnancy, childbirth and the following period with the newborn child require specialized care and support. In addition to that, refugee women are considered a highly vulnerable group; They frequently experience physical strains and psychological burdens while fleeing their home countries [4]. Maternal health care professionals monitor the physiological processes of maternity in order to allow a transition to motherhood without complications. Maternal and obstetrical care includes physical as well as medical care and also takes the psychosocial and emotional needs of women into account [5].

Objectives: How do maternal health care professionals respond to the refugee women clientele? What are their actions and doings when providing care to refugee mothers-to-be? What are the grounds for their actions?

The aim of this project is to analyze the present state of maternal care for refugee women in Germany. Furthermore it examines the challenges and opportunities faced by maternal health care professionals while caring for refugee women. The research project may provide an understanding of the professionals’ actions and conducts. Moreover, it allows to comprehend the grounds for professional actions while caring for refugee women.

Methodology: Guided expert interviews are conducted with maternal health care professionals (gynaecologists, midwives and “Familienhebammen”) in outpatient and clinical settings. Maternal health care professionals with experience of caring for refugee women are recruited via the aquise structures of the FlüGe-Graduate School and through business and internet entries (midwifery / gynaecology practices, maternal health clinics) as well as relevant associations. According to the qualitative study approach, the transcribed interviews will be analyzed following the standards of qualitative content analysis or the documentary method.

Expected Results: This project may provide a broader understanding of maternal health care professionals’ behavior and the grounds of their actions while caring for refugee women. Through the identification of challenges and already established approaches for effective maternal and obstetrical health care, recommendations can be established and developed (further) for the refugee women living in Germany.

Ethical criteria and conflict of interests: This research/project was approved by an ethics committee and was financed by third party funds because it is a is a subproject of the NRW-Fortschrittskolleg "FlüGe - Challenges and Opportunities of Global Refugee Migration for Health Care in Germany", which is financially supported by the Ministry of innovation, science and research of North Rhine-Westphalia. There is no conflict of interest.

The PDF file of the poster submitted for the meeting is available in German as Attachment 1 [Attach. 1].