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MotherLink – Perinatal Health and Peer Advocacy

MotherLink – Perinatal Health and Peer Advocacy for Migrant and Minority Ethnic Communities

Project rationale

Ethnic minority and migrant communities experience significant inequalities in maternal healthcare, affecting access to services, quality of care, and pregnancy outcomes. 

Barriers to care include limited knowledge of the healthcare system, language differences, financial constraints and immigration status and fear of discrimination. 

Those accessing services may encounter culturally insensitive care, face challenges navigating an unfamiliar, overstretched healthcare system, which can compromise informed consent and understanding of medical procedures. Additionally, they have limited social and practical support as families often remain abroad. Also, forced migration in particular is associated with significant stress and trauma. 

Collectively, these factors contribute to poorer maternal mental and physical health health and an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including perinatal death.

Aims 

The MotherLink project aims to improve awareness, access, and experiences of maternal health services for migrant and ethnic minority women in Ireland through research, training, peer advocacy, and community-based supports.

Actions: 

  • Research study exploring the experiences of accessing maternity care and support services in Ireland during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. The study aims to identify barriers, helpful supports, and opportunities for improvement to inform the education of peer advocates and enhance culturally responsive maternity care for migrant and ethnic minority women in Ireland;
  • Training programme of community-based peer advocates;
  • Information materials for migrant communities and healthcare providers.

Project Phases:

  • Literature and policy review
  • Stakeholder interviews and focus groups
  • Programme development
  • Peer advocate training
  • Peer advocate outreach
  • Project evaluation

Project Partners

This project a partnership of Cairde and TASC.  

This program is supported by funding from MSD, through MSD for Mothers, the company’s global initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life. MSD for Mothers is an initiative of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA. 

Contact 

For more information contact emilia@cairde.ie, karolina@cairde.ie.

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