Midwives' experiences of providing care for women from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds: An exploratory study

AbstractDespite policy and practice initiatives, health inequalities persist in the UK. There is limited information about Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) women’s experience of maternity care. Even less is known about health professionals’ perceptions of the impact of ethnicity on the quality of care received by BME women. This study therefore aimed to explore the experiences of midwives in providing care for BME women, drawing upon midwives’ experiences as health professionals to have an increased understanding of their views on health inequalities that BME women experience. A convenience sample of qualified midwives (N= 20) from one Trust in Greater Manchester, UK was recruited to participate in this study. One-to-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants using a topic guide, to gather information about the experiences of midwives in caring for women in pregnancy, and other issues surrounding the provision of care including health inequalities and structures guiding midwifery practice. The interviews have been transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis will be used to analyse the data. It is anticipated that a deeper understanding of inequalities in maternal healthcare from the midwives’ perspective will increased our knowledge of the maternity care experience and reasons for health inequalities for women from BME groups. Consequently, this increased knowledge base may help to shape future models of maternity care, particularly in the UK.