Page 127 - S. Ličen, I. Karnjuš, & M. Prosen (Eds.). (2019). Women, migrations and health: Ensuring transcultural healthcare. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
P. 127
Migrant Women’s Perspectives on Reproductive Health Issues and Their Healthcare Encounters
culturally sensitive in providing care. Some women were even surprised that
their autonomy had been respected since it was unexpected. One intervie-
wee from Ukraine said:
I was shocked [. . .]. When you are pregnant it is important that you are
treated well and you are ‘heard.’ Both midwives present at my childbirth
did what I asked them to do. I actuality cried, because it was like a dream
come true. [INTE_32_1_UKR]
Although the majority of women considered the healthcare delivered to
have been culturally appropriate, two of them had negative experiences. A
migrant woman from Serbia described her story of being pregnant. Her gy-
naecologist at the primary level suggested the maternity clinic she works at,
despite the woman’s choice to give birth in another maternity clinic. After the
woman insisted on going to a maternity clinic of her choice, the gynaecolo-
gist in her own words was ‘feeling very insulted’ and said:
You from foreign countries, you always want to do something on your
own, you don’t listen to advice. [INTE_22_1_SRB]
A woman from Kosovo described her experience with nurses because she
felt they perceived her as different. She said:
Some nurses didn’t want to speak to me in English. They looked at me
as if they were angry at me. I do not know why. Perhaps because I’m a
foreigner. We are all people [. . .] even though I’m not Slovenian. If I saw
someone who needs help, I would be glad to help him [. . .] even though
he or she is not Albanian, but he is human after all. [INTE_23_1_KOS]
The language barrier is indeed an overwhelming barrier for migrants and,
as it seems, also for healthcare professionals. Women’s experiences vary, from
those who did not have any communication problems when in contact with
healthcare professionals to those who had experienced some problems like
the woman above. The first group of women prevailed and they did not stress
the need for an interpreter or translator. These also included newly arrived
migrant women, but because their language group (Slavic languages) was
similar to the Slovenian language the language barrier was not great. On the
contrary, a woman from Kosovo revealed that interpreting would be a good
solution since Slovenians have trouble understanding Albanian:
125
culturally sensitive in providing care. Some women were even surprised that
their autonomy had been respected since it was unexpected. One intervie-
wee from Ukraine said:
I was shocked [. . .]. When you are pregnant it is important that you are
treated well and you are ‘heard.’ Both midwives present at my childbirth
did what I asked them to do. I actuality cried, because it was like a dream
come true. [INTE_32_1_UKR]
Although the majority of women considered the healthcare delivered to
have been culturally appropriate, two of them had negative experiences. A
migrant woman from Serbia described her story of being pregnant. Her gy-
naecologist at the primary level suggested the maternity clinic she works at,
despite the woman’s choice to give birth in another maternity clinic. After the
woman insisted on going to a maternity clinic of her choice, the gynaecolo-
gist in her own words was ‘feeling very insulted’ and said:
You from foreign countries, you always want to do something on your
own, you don’t listen to advice. [INTE_22_1_SRB]
A woman from Kosovo described her experience with nurses because she
felt they perceived her as different. She said:
Some nurses didn’t want to speak to me in English. They looked at me
as if they were angry at me. I do not know why. Perhaps because I’m a
foreigner. We are all people [. . .] even though I’m not Slovenian. If I saw
someone who needs help, I would be glad to help him [. . .] even though
he or she is not Albanian, but he is human after all. [INTE_23_1_KOS]
The language barrier is indeed an overwhelming barrier for migrants and,
as it seems, also for healthcare professionals. Women’s experiences vary, from
those who did not have any communication problems when in contact with
healthcare professionals to those who had experienced some problems like
the woman above. The first group of women prevailed and they did not stress
the need for an interpreter or translator. These also included newly arrived
migrant women, but because their language group (Slavic languages) was
similar to the Slovenian language the language barrier was not great. On the
contrary, a woman from Kosovo revealed that interpreting would be a good
solution since Slovenians have trouble understanding Albanian:
125
