Reference: 2013-007 - Young Aboriginal Women's Voice on Pregnancy Care

Researchers: Tracey Reibel, Lisa Morrison (Telethon Institute for Child Health Research); Anne-Marie McHugh, Llinios Chapman (AMSSU)

Funding: WA Department of Health through and ongoing contract with the Telethon Institute that supports a range of research across the WA Health system

Project summary: The Aboriginal Maternity Support Services Unit (AMSSU) requested the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research undertake a qualitative research approach to finding out how antenatal services can encourage young Aboriginal women to attend antenatal care from early in their pregnancy.

This project will use qualitative data collection methods (semi structured individual and small group yarning sessions) informed by culture care theory and the literature on cultural security and cultural safety in Aboriginal consultations. The project outcomes are intended to provide recommendations to the AMSSU which will assist the AMSSU to establish a standard set of guidelines and/or a model of care framework that effectively promotes and provides pregnancy care to young Aboriginal women. These would then be disseminated to all antenatal services in Western Australia to underpin changes in service delivery.

The hypothesis is that: access to and use of antenatal services by adolescent Aboriginal women is likely to be improved by the availability of culturally and age appropriate services. Some evidence suggests that young pregnant Aboriginal women may have different antenatal care needs to their older counterparts. As adolescent pregnancies may result in low birth weight and premature birth, both of which have a significant negative impact on whole of life outcomes for the infant, the antenatal period is deemed crucial for interventions to address nutrition, alcohol, tobacco and other substance use, and other factors affecting the health of the mother and baby. Aboriginal mothers are more likely to have their babies at a younger age compared to non-Aboriginal mothers. As well as potentially poorer obstetric outcomes, adolescent mothers may also be exposed to poorer educational and economic outcomes.

This project is focussed on developing an understanding of what adolescent pregnant Aboriginal women want or need for their pregnancy care in order to match their expectations in the organisation and delivery of safe and secure services that are likely to use.

Progress: Completed in 2014