title: Navigating maternity health care: a survey of the Canadian prairie newcomer experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immigration to Canada has significantly increased in recent years, particularly in the Prairie Provinces. There is evidence that pregnant newcomer women often encounter challenges when attempting to navigate the health system. Our aim was to explore newcomer women's experiences in Canada regarding pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care and to assess the degree to which Canada provides equitable access to pregnancy and delivery services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey. Women (N = 6,241) participated in structured computer-assisted telephone interviews. Women from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were included in this analysis. A total of 140 newcomers (arriving in Canada after 1996) and 1137 Canadian-born women met inclusion criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Newcomers were more likely to be university graduates, but had lower incomes than Canadian-born women. No differences were found in newcomer ability to access acceptable prenatal care, although fewer received information regarding emotional and physical changes during pregnancy. Rates of C-sections were higher for newcomers than Canadian-born women (36.1% vs. 24.7%, p = 0.02). Newcomers were also more likely to be placed in stirrups for birth and have an assisted birth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although newcomers residing in Prairie Provinces receive adequate maternity care, improvements are needed with respect to provision of information related to postpartum depression and informed choice around the need for C-sections.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-309 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405 - 87 Ave, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada. zubia.mumtaz@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Zubia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mumtaz
authors.forename: Beverley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Higginbottom
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D002170:Canada; D002585:Cesarean Section; D004522:Educational Status; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005113:Extraction, Obstetrical; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008350:Manitoba; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D062526:Patient Navigation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012525:Saskatchewan; D055815:Young Adult