title: Born in another country: women's experience of labour and birth in Queensland, Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women born outside Australia make up more than a fifth of the Queensland birthing population and like migrants in other parts of the world face the challenges of cultural dislocation and possible language barriers. Recognising that labour and birth are major life events the aim was to investigate the experiences of these women in comparison to native-born English speaking women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analysis of data from a population based survey of women who had recently birthed in Queensland. Self-reported clinical outcomes and quality of interpersonal care of 481 women born outside Australia who spoke a language other than English at home were compared with those of 5569 Australian born women speaking only English.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for demographic factors and type of birthing facility, women born in another country were less likely to be induced, but more likely to have constant electronic fetal monitoring (EFM), to give birth lying on their back or side, and to have an episiotomy. Most women felt that they were treated as an individual and with kindness and respect. However, women born outside Australia were less likely to report being looked after 'very well' during labour and birth and to be more critical of some aspects of care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparing the labour and birth experiences of women born outside the country who spoke another language with native-born English speaking women, the present study presents a largely positive picture. However, there were some marked differences in both clinical and interpersonal aspects of care.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hennegan
authors.affiliation: Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; National Perinatal and Epidemiological Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. Electronic address: maggie.redshaw@npeu.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Redshaw
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health & Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003469:Culture; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000592:standards; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Experience of care; Labour and birth; Maternity care; Migrant women; Migration