Immigrant mothers face hurdles in accessing postpartum assistance in Canada

Jan 2 2007

While Canadian-born and immigrant women have equal access to health care following childbirth, immigrant women are more likely to experience postpartum depression and financial strain, according to a new study published in Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing.

Immigrant mothers are also less likely to receive needed financial aid, household assistance and social or emotional support.

Immigration to North America has increased in recent years, with approximately 18% of the Canadian population and 12% of the US population being foreign born. Women may be particularly vulnerable to poor health following childbirth given the cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic factors that shape their postpartum experiences.

"Sadly, immigrant women in Canada tend to experience serious stress after childbirth that is not being addressed by current practices," says study author Wendy Sword. "These women are more likely than Canadian-born women to face the strain of low family income, low social support, poorer health, postpartum depression, learning needs and a need for financial assistance." However, even if women seek assistance with these issues, they are likely to have difficulty accessing help due to cultural, language or socio-economic barriers. Those who need the most help are the least likely to receive it.

"Nurses and other health care professionals working in hospital postpartum units have a responsibility to ensure that all women are adequately prepared for discharge," says Sword. "Developing an understanding of the special needs of immigrant mothers and finding new ways of addressing these needs, such as special education programs or referral services, is crucial to addressing this issue."