A salutogenic perspective on maternity care for migrant women

Abstract

This chapter looks at migrant women and maternity care in Europe from a salutogenic perspective drawing on the work of Aaron Antonovsky and other key scholars in the area of wellbeing and public health. 1-3 It considers the ways in which a salutogenic approach would deepen our understanding of the maternity needs and experiences of women who migrate to Europe. Using case studies from research work in Norway we assert that a salutogenic approach, while acknowledging the challenges faced by migrant women, would also recognise more fully the strengths, resilience and coping strategies of these women as they navigate pregnancy and motherhood in their new countries.