title: Midwives' experiences of doula support for immigrant women in Sweden--a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe and analyse midwives' experiences of doula support for immigrant women in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study, analysed using content analysis. Data were collected via interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews were conducted at the midwives' workplaces. One midwife was interviewed at a cafe.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten midwives, who participated voluntarily and worked in maternity health care in western Sweden.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The interview data generated three main categories. (1) 'A doula is a facilitator for the midwife' has two subcategories, 'In relation to the midwife' and 'In comparison with an interpreter', (2) 'Confident women giving support,' has two subcategories, 'Personal characteristics and attitudes' and 'Good support,' (3) 'Doulas cover shortcomings' has two subcategories, 'In relation to maternity care' and 'In relation to ethnicity'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study show that midwives experience that doulas are a facilitator for them. Doulas provide support by enhancing the degree of peace and security and improving communication with the women in childbirth. Doulas provide increased opportunities for transcultural care. They may increase childbearing women's confidence and satisfaction, help meet the diverse needs of childbearing women and improve care quality.
authors.affiliation: University of Skövde, Department of Public Health, Box 408, 54128 Skövde, Sweden. shararh.akhavan@his.se
authors.forename: Sharareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhavan
authors.forename: Ingela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lundgren
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D059037:Doulas; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult