RefugeeMACAWSNCT06354751
Maternity Care Experiences of Asylum-seeking and Refugee Women in Scotland
An observational study of Refugee and Asylum-seeking Women, run by University of Aberdeen at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
The International Organisation of Migration reports that over half (52.4%) of international migrants in Europe are women. Evidence suggests that women with immigrant backgrounds often struggle to access healthcare across the world. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 50 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Refugee, Asylum-seeking Women, Maternity
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 May 2024to 30 Apr 2025
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 16 to 50 years
- Women only
- Child, Adult
Study population: The study population for the survey consists of asylum-seeking and refugee women who were pregnant or who had been pregnant in Scotland the last five years, regardless of the outcome of pregnancy ( e.g live birth, stillbirth, miscarriage or abortion). The study population for the interviews consists of two samples. First, asylum-seeking and refugee women who are pregnant or who had been pregnant in Scotland in the last five years, regardless of the outcome of pregnancy (e.g live birth, stillbirth, miscarriage or abortion). Second, the HCPs who are providing care to those women in maternity services in Scotland.
Who may be able to join
- Women aged 16 and over.
- Women who can provide verbal or written consent.
- Women who are currently pregnant or have been pregnant within the last 5 years.
- Women who were living in Scotland within the last 5 years and used NHS maternity services.
- Asylum-seeking woman at the time of being pregnant or Refugee woman at the time of being pregnant.
- Able to understand written or spoken English or Arabic sufficiently to participate in the interview.
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- Currently employed in NHS Scotland in maternity services, including:
- health care support worker,
- midwife,
- doctor and obstetrician,
- Maternity care leader/manager.
- Able to provide verbal or written consent.
Who cannot join
- Women who are economic migrants or illegal migrants or hold British citizenship at the time of being pregnant and using maternity services within last five years in Scotland.
- Women who are asylum-seeking or refugee women and live in England or Wales or Northern Ireland.
- Women with insufficient English, Arabic, Persian or Urdu to participate in the online survey.
- (Second phase: interview)
- Women who are economic migrants or illegal migrants or hold/held British citizenship at the time of being pregnant and used maternity services within last five years in Scotland.
- Women who are asylum-seeking or refugee women and live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
- Women with insufficient English or Arabic to participate in the interviews.
- HCPs working in other specialists (outside of the previously mentioned professions).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The International Organisation of Migration reports that over half (52.4%) of international migrants in Europe are women. Evidence suggests that women with immigrant backgrounds often struggle to access healthcare across the world. Among migrant women, asylum-seeking and refugee women face higher risks of poor pregnancy and birth outcomes, including babies with low birth weight, physical and/or mental health problems or death related to pregnancy and/or childbirth. Previous studies have focused on immigrant women's experiences of care during pregnancy and birth and did not differentiate between asylum seekers, refugees, and economic migrants. This can make it difficult to compare studies accurately. This study focuses on asylum-seeking and refugee women, using the definitions provided by the United Nations. Asylum-seeking women refer to women who seek protection in a country other than their own and are waiting for a decision on their status. Asylum seekers become refugees once their application has been processed and accepted.
A scoping review was conducted to understand the experiences of asylum-seeking and refugee women accessing maternity care in the United Kingdom( UK), focusing on Scotland. The review found that all studies that focused on the experiences of asylum-seeking and refugee women accessing maternity care were mainly based in England. The review identified the presence of specialist migrant services in maternity settings in Scotland and across the UK. Still, there was no information on their implementation or impact on women's outcomes. Additionally, there is limited evidence in the UK on the perceptions of healthcare professionals providing care to asylum-seeking and refugee women.
This study aims to close this gap in research by exploring this area more deeply in Scotland through mixed-methods studies of surveys with asylum-seeking and refugee women and interviews with maternity care leaders, policymakers, maternity healthcare professionals, and asylum-seeking and refugee women.
Read the detailed description
This study aims to understand how asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland experience maternity care and how healthcare professionals perceive working with asylum-seeking and refugee women in maternity services. To achieve this, the study will use an explanatory sequential design. This means that the study will begin with a survey, followed by interviews with selected participants, with the aim of explaining the survey results. More details about the study design are below.
Asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland will be invited to complete a survey online or on paper. This survey will ask questions about their experiences of using maternity services in Scotland, and women will have a chance to write comments or feedback if they wish. The survey should take no longer than 10-15 minutes to complete. Agreeing to join the study does not mean that the participants have to complete it, they are free to withdraw at any time before submission.
After that, in the interview study phase, asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland, including those who completed the survey and expressed interest in participating in the interview study, will be invited to participate in the interviews. Also, HealthCare Professionals (HCPs) will be invited to participate in interviews to talk about their experiences providing care to asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland. The interviews will last approximately 30-60 minutes. The interviews will help to gain an in-depth understanding of the survey results. Potential participants will be encouraged not to agree to participate in this research until they have answers to any questions. For in-person interviews, participants will be asked to sign a consent form to show they agreed to participate while verbal consent will be obtained for online interviews. The participants can withdraw at any time, without giving a reason. If the participant agrees to participate, they will be invited to participate in an interview with the researcher. The interview can be conducted either online or face-to-face. All interviews will be recorded using a password-protected audio recorder. The researcher will arrange a convenient time at a location of the participant's choice to participate in the interview. The participants will be reassured that there are no right or wrong answers and that they do not have to answer all the questions. They can ask the researcher to move on to the next question if they do not wish.
Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical software will be used to conduct statistical analyses. Descriptive statistics and data visualisation will be employed to analyse quantitative data obtained from the survey. Free-text responses from the survey will be analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Any question in the survey without an answer will be considered a missing data point and will not be included in any analysis containing that variable.
The collected qualitative data from interviews will be entered into NVivo for coding, and inductive thematic analysis will be used, following Braun and Clarke's method. The mixed methods will enable the integration of quantitative and qualitative results during the interpretations and explanations. The findings will help inform local and national models of care and approaches and attitudes needed to support these women ultimately.
- Conditions
- Refugee, Asylum-seeking Women, Maternity
- Keywords
- maternity care, Scotland, experiences
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Exploring and understanding asylum-seeking and refugee women's experiences of maternity care in Scotland.
A survey will be conducted to assess asylum-seeking and refugee women's experiences of maternity care in Scotland. This will be followed by a qualitative phase, during which semi-structured interviews with asylum-seeking and refugee women will provide an in-depth understanding of the findings of the survey.
Measured: by May 2025
Evidence of HCP's experiences of providing maternity care for asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland.
In depth semi-structured interviews will be offered to HCPs to explore their experiences of providing care to asylum seeking and refugee women in maternity services in Scotland.
Measured: by May 2025
Secondary outcomes (3)
Identification of the successful components of specialist migrant maternity services in Scotland.
The results from the survey and interviews will help identify the specialist migrant maternity services in Scotland.
Measured: by May 2025
Identification of gaps between care pathways and practice (implementation gap) and how this affects the quality of maternity care and women's experiences of maternity services
The mixed method analysis of the findings will help identify gaps between current care pathways and collected data from women's experiences of using maternity services in Scotland.
Measured: by May 2025
Information for policymakers on approaches needed to improve maternity care for refugee and asylum-seeking women at local and national levels.
The findings of the study and its recommendations will be shared with maternity managers and policy makers to enhance women's experiences of maternity services and meet their needs in Scotland.
Measured: by May 2025
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Apr 2024
- Study start1 May 2024
- Primary completion30 Apr 2025
- Study completion30 Apr 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for RefugeeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Other
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Aberdeen
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Mairead Black, PhD, Principal investigator, UoA Reader
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06354751
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 327236
- Acronym
- MACAWS
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 3 Apr 2024
- Last updated
- 31 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 31 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Maternity Care Experiences of Asylum-seeking and Refugee Women in Scotland
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06354751
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MACAWS / 327236
- Conditions
- Refugee, Asylum-seeking Women, Maternity
- Keywords
- maternity care, Scotland, experiences
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of AberdeenUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Apr 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 9 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The International Organisation of Migration reports that over half (52.4%) of international migrants in Europe are women. Evidence suggests that women with immigrant backgrounds often struggle to access healthcare across the world. Among migrant women, asylum-seeking and refugee women face higher risks of poor pregnancy and birth outcomes, including babies with low birth weight, physical and/or mental health problems or death related to pregnancy and/or childbirth. Previous studies have focused on immigrant women's experiences of care during pregnancy and birth and did not differentiate between asylum seekers, refugees, and economic migrants. This can make it difficult to compare studies accurately. This study focuses on asylum-seeking and refugee women, using the definitions provided by the United Nations. Asylum-seeking women refer to women who seek protection in a country other than their own and are waiting for a decision on their status. Asylum seekers become refugees once their application has been processed and accepted.
A scoping review was conducted to understand the experiences of asylum-seeking and refugee women accessing maternity care in the United Kingdom( UK), focusing on Scotland. The review found that all studies that focused on the experiences of asylum-seeking and refugee women accessing maternity care were mainly based in England. The review identified the presence of specialist migrant services in maternity settings in Scotland and across the UK. Still, there was no information on their implementation or impact on women's outcomes. Additionally, there is limited evidence in the UK on the perceptions of healthcare professionals providing care to asylum-seeking and refugee women.
This study aims to close this gap in research by exploring this area more deeply in Scotland through mixed-methods studies of surveys with asylum-seeking and refugee women and interviews with maternity care leaders, policymakers, maternity healthcare professionals, and asylum-seeking and refugee women.
Detailed description
This study aims to understand how asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland experience maternity care and how healthcare professionals perceive working with asylum-seeking and refugee women in maternity services. To achieve this, the study will use an explanatory sequential design. This means that the study will begin with a survey, followed by interviews with selected participants, with the aim of explaining the survey results. More details about the study design are below.
Asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland will be invited to complete a survey online or on paper. This survey will ask questions about their experiences of using maternity services in Scotland, and women will have a chance to write comments or feedback if they wish. The survey should take no longer than 10-15 minutes to complete. Agreeing to join the study does not mean that the participants have to complete it, they are free to withdraw at any time before submission.
After that, in the interview study phase, asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland, including those who completed the survey and expressed interest in participating in the interview study, will be invited to participate in the interviews. Also, HealthCare Professionals (HCPs) will be invited to participate in interviews to talk about their experiences providing care to asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland. The interviews will last approximately 30-60 minutes. The interviews will help to gain an in-depth understanding of the survey results. Potential participants will be encouraged not to agree to participate in this research until they have answers to any questions. For in-person interviews, participants will be asked to sign a consent form to show they agreed to participate while verbal consent will be obtained for online interviews. The participants can withdraw at any time, without giving a reason. If the participant agrees to participate, they will be invited to participate in an interview with the researcher. The interview can be conducted either online or face-to-face. All interviews will be recorded using a password-protected audio recorder. The researcher will arrange a convenient time at a location of the participant's choice to participate in the interview. The participants will be reassured that there are no right or wrong answers and that they do not have to answer all the questions. They can ask the researcher to move on to the next question if they do not wish.
Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical software will be used to conduct statistical analyses. Descriptive statistics and data visualisation will be employed to analyse quantitative data obtained from the survey. Free-text responses from the survey will be analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Any question in the survey without an answer will be considered a missing data point and will not be included in any analysis containing that variable.
The collected qualitative data from interviews will be entered into NVivo for coding, and inductive thematic analysis will be used, following Braun and Clarke's method. The mixed methods will enable the integration of quantitative and qualitative results during the interpretations and explanations. The findings will help inform local and national models of care and approaches and attitudes needed to support these women ultimately.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Other
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 to 50 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
- Study population
- The study population for the survey consists of asylum-seeking and refugee women who were pregnant or who had been pregnant in Scotland the last five years, regardless of the outcome of pregnancy ( e.g live birth, stillbirth, miscarriage or abortion). The study population for the interviews consists of two samples. First, asylum-seeking and refugee women who are pregnant or who had been pregnant in Scotland in the last five years, regardless of the outcome of pregnancy (e.g live birth, stillbirth, miscarriage or abortion). Second, the HCPs who are providing care to those women in maternity services in Scotland.
Key inclusion criteria (12 listed)
- Women aged 16 and over.
- Women who can provide verbal or written consent.
- Women who are currently pregnant or have been pregnant within the last 5 years.
- Women who were living in Scotland within the last 5 years and used NHS maternity services.
- Asylum-seeking woman at the time of being pregnant or Refugee woman at the time of being pregnant.
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Women who are economic migrants or illegal migrants or hold British citizenship at the time of being pregnant and using maternity services within last five years in Scotland.
- Women who are asylum-seeking or refugee women and live in England or Wales or Northern Ireland.
- Women with insufficient English, Arabic, Persian or Urdu to participate in the online survey.
- (Second phase: interview)
- Women who are economic migrants or illegal migrants or hold/held British citizenship at the time of being pregnant and used maternity services within last five years in Scotland.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Exploring and understanding asylum-seeking and refugee women's experiences of maternity care in Scotland.
Time frame: by May 2025
A survey will be conducted to assess asylum-seeking and refugee women's experiences of maternity care in Scotland. This will be followed by a qualitative phase, during which semi-structured interviews with asylum-seeking and refugee women will provide an in-depth understanding of the findings of the survey.
Evidence of HCP's experiences of providing maternity care for asylum-seeking and refugee women in Scotland.
Time frame: by May 2025
In depth semi-structured interviews will be offered to HCPs to explore their experiences of providing care to asylum seeking and refugee women in maternity services in Scotland.
3 secondary outcomes
Identification of the successful components of specialist migrant maternity services in Scotland.
Time frame: by May 2025
Identification of gaps between care pathways and practice (implementation gap) and how this affects the quality of maternity care and women's experiences of maternity services
Time frame: by May 2025
Information for policymakers on approaches needed to improve maternity care for refugee and asylum-seeking women at local and national levels.
Time frame: by May 2025
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 31 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Mairead Black, PhD principal investigator
UoA Reader
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Refugee and Asylum-seeking Women, run by University of Aberdeen at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 12 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 31 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Exploring and understanding asylum-seeking and refugee women's experiences of maternity care in Scotland. (time frame: by May 2025). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 31 Aug 2026.