gms | German Medical Science

Background: In high-income countries, migrant women speaking a foreign language have a high prevalence of mental health disorders of 24–42% (vs. 10–20% in the native population). Antenatal classes can enhance pregnant women’s mental well-being. To assess the contribution of interpreted antenatal classes to the maternal mental health of participants speaking a foreign language, culturally and linguistically adequate instruments needed. In the present study, a questionnaire was developed based on a qualitative exploratory design with semi-structured, interpreted interviews with mothers who had attended interpreted antenatal classes. Indicators resulted from identified stressors such as challenges in the health care system, motherhood as something new, being alone, language barriers, somatic complaints, and stressful life events. Interpreted antenatal classes counteract these stressors by providing information about the health care system, childbirth, the postpartum period and physical exercises.

Aim/Research question: How can the newly developed questionnaire be used in oral translation by interpreters? What is required of the health professional, the interpreter and the foreign-language client in an interpreted interview? What is needed to assess the maternal mental health of foreign language women?

Methods: In the workshop, participants will receive input on the development of the instrument, interpreted antenatal classes and the principles of an interpreted interview. With the help of an intercultural interpreter, participants will practice and discuss the use of the questionnaire. Participants will also discuss the possibilities, limits and modalities of structured interviews with migrant women speaking a foreign language in the context of maternity care, specifically regarding maternal mental health.

Results: The workshop will give participants insight into a newly developed instrument and provide the opportunity to discuss experiences and questions with researchers, midwives, and intercultural interpreters. In turn, these discussions will provide important input for further development of the instrument and regarding the need to assess the perinatal mental health of foreign language clients.

Relevancy: Assessing the perinatal mental health of migrant women speaking a foreign language is a prerequisite to ensure adequate preventive services. The exchange between the workshop participants on the possibilities of assessing the mental health of foreign language migrant women can provide an impetus for practice and for the further development of suitable instruments, while taking the numerous barriers and limited resources in the German speaking region into account.

Recommendations/Conclusion: Social relationships, somatic well-being, linguistic communication, and comprehensible health services are of utmost importance for the perinatal mental health of migrant women. Interpreted antenatal classes can address all of these issues. The developed instrument is the first of its kind in the German speaking world and has the potential to demonstrate the beneficial effects of interpreted antenatal classes on the perinatal mental health of migrant women after content validation and piloting. However, there are currently no means to assess the mental health of foreign language migrant women in maternity care.

Ethics and conflicts of interest: A vote on ethics was obtained. The research was financed by own resources. There are no conflicts of interest.