The main goal of this research project was to get deep and empirically grounded insights into diverse views, expectations and experiences of migrant women with pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting. In order to meet the aim, we conducted qualitative research while employing three various research methods. We also worked with three distinct categories of informants.
- We conducted 35 semi-structured in-depth interviews with migrant women who have recently given birth in Czech healthcare facilities.We contacted a diverse spectrum of women according to the type of their migration experience and family, legal and socio-economic status, number of children, countries of origin, education, etc.
- We conducted an ethnographic case study of a woman’s care pathway through the Czech maternity and birth care system. We originally planned to conduct more case studies of women’s care pathways, however, it turned to be extremely difficult to reach women in early stages of their pregnancies who would be willing to participate in this kind of study.Instead we conducted a higher number of in-depth interviews with women.
- We conducted an ethnographic case study of a healthcare institution, which we supplemented with 35 in-depth interviews with healthcare providers, mostly midwives and nurses, working in obstetrical-gynaecological wards in several health facilities.
- We conducted 18 interviews with people from the so-called helping professions who work with migrants: these were mostly social workers and interpreters who facilitate migrant women’s interactions with the Czech healthcare practitioners and institutions.