Abstract
Background: It is estimated that 22.900–28.900 undocumented immigrants reside in Denmark.
Due to their legal status, they have restricted access to health care including maternity care.
Undocumented immigrants are solely entitled to healthcare for acute, urgent, or pain-relieving
needs. Thus, public maternity care during pregnancy and after giving birth is not accessible for
undocumented immigrants, and their access to free maternity care services predominantly rely
on the informal health system. In relation to the actual birth, the women are entitled to care in
a public hospital, but sometimes with a payment claim.
Very little research exists regarding the health and healthcare seeking behavior among
undocumented immigrants, especially in a Danish and European setting, therefore the purpose
of this study is to explore undocumented immigrant women’s experience of, as well as their
access to, maternity care services during pregnancy in Denmark.
Methods: Recruiting through the two branches of an NGO-driven Health Clinic in Denmark, we
conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with undocumented immigrant women in Denmark
from January 2018 to January 2019.
Results: The undocumented immigrant women experienced barriers such as fear of deportation,
concerns about payment for services, and uncertainties about rules for access. Many of them
described depending on NGO-driven initiatives to access maternity care services and found
these as providing a safe environment for care.
Conclusion: Our findings contribute with insights to understand the health behavior of
undocumented immigrant women and highlight the need for inclusive care to safeguard the
health of the women and their children.
Due to their legal status, they have restricted access to health care including maternity care.
Undocumented immigrants are solely entitled to healthcare for acute, urgent, or pain-relieving
needs. Thus, public maternity care during pregnancy and after giving birth is not accessible for
undocumented immigrants, and their access to free maternity care services predominantly rely
on the informal health system. In relation to the actual birth, the women are entitled to care in
a public hospital, but sometimes with a payment claim.
Very little research exists regarding the health and healthcare seeking behavior among
undocumented immigrants, especially in a Danish and European setting, therefore the purpose
of this study is to explore undocumented immigrant women’s experience of, as well as their
access to, maternity care services during pregnancy in Denmark.
Methods: Recruiting through the two branches of an NGO-driven Health Clinic in Denmark, we
conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with undocumented immigrant women in Denmark
from January 2018 to January 2019.
Results: The undocumented immigrant women experienced barriers such as fear of deportation,
concerns about payment for services, and uncertainties about rules for access. Many of them
described depending on NGO-driven initiatives to access maternity care services and found
these as providing a safe environment for care.
Conclusion: Our findings contribute with insights to understand the health behavior of
undocumented immigrant women and highlight the need for inclusive care to safeguard the
health of the women and their children.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Publikationsdato | 5 maj 2022 |
| Status | Udgivet - 5 maj 2022 |
| Begivenhed | NJF Congress 2022 Midwives promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights - Helsinki, Finland Varighed: 5 maj 2022 → 5 maj 2022 Konferencens nummer: 22 https://njfcongress.fi/ |
Konference
| Konference | NJF Congress 2022 Midwives promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights |
|---|---|
| Nummer | 22 |
| Land/Område | Finland |
| By | Helsinki |
| Periode | 05/05/22 → 05/05/22 |
| Internetadresse |