Exploring communication in antenatal care for Black pregnant women V1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Exploring the relationship between communication, experience and outcome for Black pregnant women receiving midwifery antenatal care: a conversation analytic study.

• IRAS ID

  329792

• Contact name

  Catrin Rhys

• Contact email

  cs.rhys@ulster.ac.uk

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  researchregistry9946, Research Registry

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 9 months, 17 days

• Research summary

  This study aims to explore the relationship between communication, experience and outcome for Black women receiving midwifery antenatal care. Racial health inequality in UK maternity care is stark. Black women have a 3.8x higher, and Asian women a 1.8x higher maternal mortality rate than white women, and disparities between various
  minority ethnic groups and their white British peers are evidenced across multiple neonatal outcomes including stillbirth and neonatal death. Evidence also points to racial disparity in, or differential assessment of, experiences of maternity care, with Global majority women reporting feeling unheard, disbelieved, disrespected, dehumanised, and discriminated against.

  Effective communication is a core component of the World Health Organisation’s quality of care framework for maternal and newborn care and is has been shown be key to positive experiences for pregnant women. Global majority women report lower satisfaction with communication in English maternity services and failures of communication are repeatedly implicated in qualitative research into the experiences of women with minority ethnicities. Despite this, communication has never been the primary focus of research concerned with racial inequality in UK maternity services. This is a significant and urgent research gap.

  This study will use conversation analysis to inductively explore communication in this setting as it relates to the experiences and treatment outcomes of Black pregnant women. The research aims to video/audio record 20-30 antenatal appointments between Black pregnant women and white midwives for analysis. Observational data will be complemented by additional self-reported data sets to capture the subjective experiences of women. Findings will be used to inform midwifery training materials, and to make policy recommendations.
  

• REC name

  HSC REC A

• REC reference

  24/NI/0051

• Date of REC Opinion

  12 Jun 2024

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion