Opinion:
Migrant women in Norway face challenges in accessing maternal health services. Community-based solutions may improve healthcare accessibility and trust.
(Illustration photo: Shutterstock / NTB)
OPINION: Experiences of maternity care among immigrant women in Norway vary greatly depending on personal expectations and familiarity with the system.
Many migrant women miss prenatal
appointments, avoid cancer screenings, and struggle to access contraception.
They find the system inaccessible and rely on family and friends rather than
healthcare professionals.
Experiences of maternity care among
immigrant women in Norway vary greatly depending on personal expectations and
familiarity with the system.
Healthcare systems must build trust
Some women find the Norwegian model
empowering, while others feel anxious due to what they perceive as insufficient
monitoring or unfamiliar practices.
When healthcare providers or midwives
share cultural backgrounds and cultural competence, women report feeling more
confident and more willing to engage.
This highlights a fundamental truth: simply offering services is not enough.
Healthcare systems must actively work to build trust. This includes providing
information in multiple languages, offering culturally sensitive communication,
and adapting services to different expectations—without compromising quality.
A study with sub-Saharan African immigrant
women in Norway reveals limited knowledge about available services
and how to access them. Some felt rushed during appointments, while others
perceived discrimination. Long waiting times further discouraged engagement.
Language barriers and insufficient
information
A systematic review found that migrant women
encounter six major obstacles when seeking reproductive and preventive health
services. The most common challenge—affecting more than half of all
participants—was insufficient information and difficulty navigating the
healthcare system.
This was closely followed by language
barriers, cultural differences, economic hardship, administrative hurdles, and
experiences of discrimination. As a result, many women miss prenatal
appointments, avoid cancer screenings, and struggle to access contraception.
Some rely on family and friends rather than healthcare professionals—not out of
preference, but because the system feels inaccessible.
Seven community-based solutions that
work
Evidence from Canada shows
that immigrant women benefit when health information is delivered in culturally
safe environments, especially when staff share their cultural background. Trust
strengthens more quickly, and women feel heard and respected. Effective
approaches include:
1. Invest
in dedicated multilingual, culturally matched health promotion staff: Staff rooted in the
community can build trust, deliver information effectively, and bridge gaps
between families and health services. This improves communication and comfort.
2. Collaboration
between community groups and healthcare systems creates continuity and stronger support
networks.
3. Flexible
service hours
accommodate work, family, and transportation barriers.
4. Women‑only sessions provide safe spaces for
discussing sensitive topics.
5. Participatory
approaches:
When migrant women help design programmes, interventions align better with their
values, needs, and priorities. Policies should be shaped with migrant
communities—not merely for them.
6. Secure
stable, long‑term funding for community organisations:
Ensures they can
offer consistent support, outreach, and culturally relevant programmes.
7. Strengthen
partnerships between policymakers, service providers, and community groups: Collaboration ensures
services are accessible, culturally sensitive, and responsive to real needs.
Where every mother can thrive
Improving maternal and child health for
migrant women requires coordinated, community‑centered action. Treat migrant women as true partners in research
and program design. When women feel welcomed, informed, and respected, they
engage fully, leading to healthier pregnancies and safer childbirth.
An
equitable healthcare system is one where every mother receives the care she
needs to thrive.
References:
- Dhakal, S., Iziduh, S., Weerasinghe, S.,
Allana, S., Amodu, O., Simpson, A., Brennand, E., Benlolo, S., Ziegler, E.,
& Gagliardi, A. R. (2025). Community Agency Health Promotion Capacity for
Ethno-Culturally Diverse Immigrant Women: Qualitative Interviews. Journal
of immigrant and minority health, 10.1007/s10903-025-01779-7. Advance online
publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-025-01779-7 - Mbanya, V. N.,
Terragni, L., Gele, A. A., Diaz, E., & Kumar, B. N. (2019). Access to Norwegian healthcare system – challenges for sub-Saharan
African immigrants. International journal for equity in
health, 18(1), 125. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-019-1027-x - Mehrara, L., Olaug Gjernes, T. K., &
Young, S. (2022). Immigrant women’s experiences with Norwegian maternal health
services: implications for policy and practice. International journal of
qualitative studies on health and well-being, 17(1), 2066256. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2022.2066256 - Pérez-Sánchez, M., Immordino, P., Romano,
G., Giordano, A., García-Gil, C., & Morales, F. (2024). Access of migrant
women to sexual and reproductive health services: A systematic
review. Midwifery, 139, 104167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2024.104167 - Vazquez Corona, M., Hazfiarini, A.,
Vaughan, C., Block, K., & Bohren, M. A. (2024). Participatory Health
Research with Women from Refugee, Asylum-Seeker, and Migrant Backgrounds Living
in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review. International Journal of
Qualitative Methods, 23. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231225371
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