Inequity in contraceptive care between refugees and other migrant women?: a retrospective study in Dutch general practice

Abstract

Contraceptives were significantly less often discussed with and prescribed to refugees and other migrant women compared with native Dutch women. More research is needed to elicit the reproductive health needs and preferences of migrant women regarding GP's care and experiences in discussing these issues. Such insights are vital in order to provide equitable reproductive healthcare to every woman regardless of her background.

Induced abortions by woman’s country of origin in Finland 2001–2014

“…There are signs that migrant women might have unmet contraceptive needs and migrant background may affect the way reproductive health and contraception is discussed by health care professionals with patients of migrant background. [1,2] Migrants' countries of origin, reasons for immigration, time spent in the new country of residence and personal situations vary, and their health has no universal pattern. Some migrant groups have better health than natives and lower mortality [3,4,5,6] and they purchase less prescribed drugs [7].…”

Women, Migrations and Health

“…Several studies show that knowledge of contraception has a great influence on its use in everyday life, not only among immigrants. There is an established link between knowledge and responsible sexually protective behaviours (Cleland, Conde-Agudelo, Peterson, Ross, & Tsui, 2012;Poncet, Huang, Rei, Lin, & Chen, 2013;Raben et al, 2018;Shah et al, 2018). In our study, 37 migrant women (71.2) claimed they are familiar with at least one contraception method among those listed, and 11 stated they are familiar with all 7 modern methods on the list.…”

“…Women's choice of contraceptive methods is affected by demographics, socio-economic status, cultural norms, level of commitment to avoiding pregnancy, and perceived access to healthcare (Poncet et al, 2013). Further, Raben et al (2018) emphasise that migrant women tend to adapt to the contraceptive trends in their host countries. According to the National Institute of Public Health, hormonal contraception is currently the most commonly used contraceptive method in Slovenia (see http://www.nijz.si/sl/26-september-2014-svetovni-dan-kontracepcije).…”

“…(European Migration Network, 2017). We must be aware that today and in the near future the number of immigrants settling in high-income countries will grow, and that it is essential to have culturally competent healthcare staff in place for that scenario because every woman, regardless of her background or origin, has the right to adequate SRH care (Raben et al, 2018). Interventions designed to raise awareness and use of contraceptives among the migrant population can bring multiple payoffs (Lindstrom & Hernández, 2006).…”

“…Consequently, many migrant women may possess little knowledge about risk factors for unwanted pregnancies and about contraception due to limited health literacy. Young migrant adults often do not receive sufficient education on sexual health, and unmet contraceptive needs are common (Aptekman, Rashid, Wright, & Dunn, 2014;Raben et al, 2018).…”