Expecting her sixth child, Fartun Hussein credits a refugee midwifery service for being there every step of the way knowing that other refugee mothers are not so lucky to have healthy babies.
The 27-year-old Somali mother had the same midwife for all five of her other pregnancies putting her at ease every time she had to go the hospital.
"Back home in some situations women die during childbirth," the Brisbane mother said.
"During my pregnancies, if I had any pain, wasn't feeling well or had any questions, my midwife would guide me through everything."
The Mater Hospital Refugee Midwifery Group Practice provides expectant mothers with a midwife, check-ups, support through labour and birth as well as up to six weeks postnatal care.
About 160 women from refugee backgrounds access the service in Brisbane each year with over 80 countries represented.
Midwife Michelle Steel said adapting health delivery models to meet the clinical and cultural needs of refugee women improves outcomes for mothers and babies.
She co-authored a paper last year in the academic journal Women and Birth that looked at over 600 women who accessed the service over a four-year period and how their pregnancies fared.
Refugee women in developed countries have higher rates of pre-eclampsia (a high blood pressure disorder that can occur during pregnancy), postpartum haemorrhages, gestational diabetes, postnatal depression and low birth-weight babies.
They are also more likely to experience perinatal mental illnesses which is being marked this week as a crucial issue for new mothers.
One in five all women, regardless of background or life experience, develop a mental health disorder during the perinatal period (when a woman falls pregnant and up to a year after giving birth).
"We know this group of women have other stressors in their life including homelessness, financial stress, visa stress, war trauma, are victims of domestic violence, or survivors of torture," Ms Steel said.
The researchers found after accessing the Mater group, they had fewer emergency caesareans and were less likely to deliver premature babies or use epidurals.
Culturally appropriate care at the Brisbane hospital includes includes an interpreter, a social worker and delivering language specific group antenatal care and education sessions.
Eritrean refugee Wegahta Gebreyesus, 39, who has given birth to four children at Mater Mothers' Hospital said the culturally specific care made a difference during her pregnancies.
"The level of care helped me cope mentally and physically."
"I was given courage and comfort from the moment I found out each time I was pregnant," she said.
"When I look at my children, I know how lucky I am to have them here with me."
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