Black mothers’ childbirth experiences

The childbirth experience is an important life event that can affect the health and wellbeing of mother and child long after labour and delivery has concluded. This study is a qualitative descriptive study of the childbirth experiences of 30 Black mothers who gave birth in the Greater Toronto Area within the past three years. Semi structured interviews were conducted to understand: 1) what Black women’s childbirth experiences are and 2) what factors contributed to their experiences. The childbirth experiences of Black mothers giving birth in the GTA are largely shaped by experiences of racism, bias and microaggressions. They experience disrespectful care and feelings of judgment based on their race in addition to their other intersecting identities. Factors that contribute to a positive childbirth experience include continuity of care, family and community support as well as a high-quality relationship with their health care provider. This study employs to the use of critical race theory to examine the themes which emerged from data collected.