Exploring Equitable Maternal-Newborn Care with Sub-Saharan Black African New Migrant Women in Ontario, Canada
Abstract
This study explores the lived experiences of Sub-Saharan Black African migrant women in accessing and receiving maternal-newborn healthcare services in Ontario, Canada. Utilizing an intersectionality-inspired lens, the research investigates how intersecting identities—such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and immigration status—alongside structural determinants like racism, xenophobia, and systemic power dynamics shape these women's experiences of maternal-newborn healthcare. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants, the study findings reveal some challenges and barriers to equitable care, including restricted access due to temporary immigration status, discrimination within healthcare systems, and inadequate culturally safe care. The findings highlight the critical need for healthcare policy and programs reforms to prioritize culturally safe care, equitable access to care, and dismantling systemic racism within maternal-newborn healthcare services. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by Sub-Saharan Black African migrant women and offers recommendations for enhancing maternal-newborn healthcare delivery to better provide quality care to this marginalized population.