Grant: Project Grant

Positive pregnancy and birth experiences are linked to maternal and infant well-being. Discrimination and disrespect during pregnancy and birth, on the other hand, can have long lasting negative effects on the health of a person, family, and community. Parents all over the world say that quality of care means having dignity and autonomy, cultural safety, freedom from abuse, and access to perinatal services in the community or on ancestral lands. Our research shows that harmful interactions are common during pregnancy and childbirth, especially among racialized and historically oppressed people, yet information about experience of care in Canada and strategies to address these serious issues are scarce. This community-led research will explore the factors that affect quality of care for pregnant persons from different identities, circumstances, or backgrounds. Over 6000 people described their childbearing journey in the national RESPCCT survey. In this project, parents will work with our team to explore RESPCCT survey data on experiences of pregnancy and childbirth among people who identify as Indigenous, racialized, Two Spirit, queer, or trans, and/or those who are newcomers to Canada, who live in rural or remote communities, have disabilities, a high BMI, a history of incarceration, substance use or pregnancy loss. Using accessible data displays, storytelling, and research-based theatre, we will support community members and knowledge users to analyze and interpret findings; and to decide on key messages, how to share the stories, and who needs to hear them. We have engaged over 50 community partners who bring their lived experience to this work. To report on the findings, we will co-create a multimedia public information package on high quality, rights-based care. We will design social media tools, infographics, poems, podcasts, video and theatre performances to demonstrate the effects of mistreatment, and also what kind, supportive, respectful care looks like.