The EGALITE study

Project summary

With forced migration at an all-time high, research on pregnant women and mothers with a refugee background is key to mitigate migration-related perinatal health inequities.

Compared to native populations in high-income countries, women with a refugee background may receive suboptimal care and face higher rates of pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. The EGALITE research project aims to explore maternal, perinatal and care outcomes in specific groups of forced migrants in the Netherlands. Moreover, challenges in perinatal care to asylum seekers and refugees will be evaluated, including the level of implementation and improvement points of the current national guideline on integrated care for asylum seekers. The perspectives of professionals from all disciplines involved, as well as from women with lived experience themselves will be central to the development of a ‘toolkit’ facilitating safe and tailored birth care for newcomers with a refugee background.

The EGALITE project will comprise three phases of mixed-methods research, toolkit development and pilot-testing of the toolkit.

Contact: J. Tankink (PhD candidate): j.tankink@erasmusmc.nl / egalitestudie@erasmusmc.nl

The EGALITE project aims to contribute to reducing health inequities between pregnant women with a refugee background and the Dutch population.

• Video on the EGALITE project;
• Pitch at the NTVG symposium “Mind Matters” 2021;
• Manuscript of the first study on childbirths and the prevalence of risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes among women in Dutch asylum seeking centers.
• Factsheet (Dutch) on births in Dutch asylum seekers, in collaboration with GGD GHOR and UMCG: factsheet-ggdghor-geboortes-coa-opvang_2022-1.pdf (venvn.nl)

• Official partners of the EGALITE project:
  • Nine midwifery practices connected to asylum seekers centers in the Netherlands, such as midwifery practice New Life (Ter Apel);
  • Central Agency for Reception of Asylum Seekers and Health Center for Ayslum Seekers (GZA Healthcare);
  • Regional Consortium Pregnancy & Childbirth (in Southwest, Central and Northern Netherlands and Overijssel), and Network Birthcare Northwest Netherlands.
• Collaboration with research on perinatal health of asylum seekers from the University Medical Center of Groningen;
• Hosting MA students of Medical Anthropology and Sociology, University of Amsterdam;

• VPRO Argos: Spraakverwarring bij de bevalling – Human – VPRO
• Trouw: Kindtolken lopen in de zorg trauma’s op. ‘Mama, je hebt kanker’ (trouw.nl)

• Official partners of the EGALITE project:
  • Nine midwifery practices connected to asylum seekers centers in the Netherlands, such as midwifery practice New Life (Ter Apel);
  • Central Agency for Reception of Asylum Seekers and Health Center for Ayslum Seekers (GZA Healthcare);
  • Birth care consortia, such as the Regional Consortium Pregnancy & Childbirth (in Southwest, Central and Northern Netherlands and Overijssel), and Network Birthcare Northwest Netherlands.
• Collaboration with research on perinatal health of asylum seekers from the University Medical Center of Groningen;
• Hosting MA students of Medical Anthropology and Sociology, University of Amsterdam as well as Master students of Medicine at the University Medical Center Utrecht;
• Please contact us if you see opportunities for collaboration or to inquire about opportunities for student internships!

• Advisory committee (EGALITE project group) with members of interdisciplinary and interuniversity backgrounds, among others:
  • • Prof. Dr. Maria van den Muijsenbergh (Radboud UMC, Pharos), general practioner and professor of health disparities and person centered integrated primary care;
    • Dr. Annelies Mesman, epidemiologist focusing on public health for asylum seekers at the Netherlands Netherlands Association for Community Health Services (GGD GHOR);
    • Drs. Bahareh Goodarzi, midwife, teacher and researcher at the Midwifery Academy/department of Midwifery Sciences, VU Amsterdam.