The experience of providing midwifery-gynecological care to refugees and immigrants in a public maternity hospital in Athens

To investigate the special characteristics of provision of midwifery-gynecological care to refugees and immigrants. METHOD In the period from March 11th to December 31st, 2016, 408 refugee and immigrant women were provided with midwifery and gynecological care at the "Helena Venizelou" Hospital. The characteristics of this study sample were recorded on a special questionnaire in the Emergency Department and the Outpatient Clinic of the hospital. RESULTS Of the 408 women, 30% of those who attended the regular outpatient clinics and 72.3% of those examined in the Emergency Department, received midwifery care. The rest received mainly gynecological care. The mean age of the women was 26.59 +/- 6.23 years old, and the mean number of their previous births was 1.88 +/- 1.46. The mean gestational age of the pregnant women at the time of the first visit in the hospital was 29.41 +/- 10.31 weeks. The most common reason for the first visit to the hospital was the need for a routine midwifery-gynecological examination in the outpatient clinic. During the study period the perinatal maternal and neonatal mortality rates were zero. CONCLUSIONS Health-care professionals need to familiarize themselves with the intercultural approach to the care of refugees and immigrants, and to be able to individualize the care provided depending on their country of origin, socio-political and cultural background, religion and their living conditions, with respect for the individual particularities of each woman.