Coping strategies used by migrant women during pregnancy. An integrative review

Ivett Adriana Herrera Zuleta; Angélica María Ospina Romero; Abraham Isaac Esquivel Rubio; Claudia Jennifer Domínguez Chavez

doi:10.17533/udea.iee.v43n3e10

Authors

Ivett Adriana Herrera Zuleta Universidad de la Sabana https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1426-6382
Angélica María Ospina Romero Universidad de la Sabana
Abraham Isaac Esquivel Rubio Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
Claudia Jennifer Domínguez Chavez Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.iee.v43n3e10

Keywords:

pregnancy, emigrants and immigrants, psychological adaptation

Abstract

Objective. To analyze the coping strategies for the adaptation of the migrant during pregnancy described in the literature.

Methods. Integrative review using the method approached by Whittemore and Knafl. MeSH terms Pregnancy, Migrants and immigrants, and Psychological adaptation, were incorporated in addition to their variants in the databases of Pubmed, Scopus, EBSCO, Science Direct, and Web of Science. Articles that examined the coping strategies used by pregnant migrants to adapt during pregnancy were included. Only the articles published from 2003 to 2023 was considered. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the articles were analyzed with the CASPe critical reading tool in which quality and consistency were reviewed. Using the software, Atlas.ti, version 23.2.1, content analysis for the categorical construction of data was performed. These strategies were analyzed with the middle-range theory adaptation to life events by Callista Roy.

Results. A total of 416 articles were considered. The reviewed articles show 14 coping strategies used by the pregnant migrant, which were grouped into 5 strategies called social support, emotional regulation and transfer, positive attitude strategy, cultural adaptation strategy, and comprehensible language strategy.

Conclusion. It was found that the strategy most used by the migrant pregnant woman is social support, followed by positive attitude strategies and comprehensible language; when using these strategies, the results show migrant pregnant women with a decrease in anxiety, fear and a positive attitude towards life and health.

|Abstract

= 35 veces | PDF

= 30 veces| | VIDEO

= 0 veces|

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Ivett Adriana Herrera Zuleta, Universidad de la Sabana

Nurse, Ph.D. student.

Universidad de la Sabana. Chía, Colombia

Angélica María Ospina Romero, Universidad de la Sabana

Nurse, Ph.D. Professor.

Universidad de la Sabana. Chía, Colombia

Abraham Isaac Esquivel Rubio, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

Nurse, Ph.D. Professor.

Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. Mexicali, México.

Claudia Jennifer Domínguez Chavez, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

Nurse, Ph.D. Professor.

Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. Mexicali, México.

References

1. Organización Internacional para las Migraciones. Género y Migración. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Jun. 24]. Available from: https://rosanjose.iom.int/es/genero-y-migracion

2. Organización de las Naciones Unidas, Organización Internacional para las Migraciones. Interactivo Informe sobre las migraciones en el mundo 2022 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Jun. 24]. Available from: https://worldmigrationreport.iom.int/wmr-2022-interactive/?lang=ES

3. Portal de Datos sobre Migración. Género y migración. [Internet]. [cited 2025 Jun. 24]. Available from: https://www.migrationdataportal.org/es/themes/genero-y-migracion

4. Van Roosmalen, J., y Van Den Akker, T. Maternal mortality and severe morbidity in a migration perspective. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 2016; 32:26-38.

5. Organización Internacional para las Migraciones, Ministerio de Desarrollo Social del Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Las mujeres migrantes y la violencia de género. Aportes para la reflexión y la intervención. [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2025 Jun. 24] Available from: https://www.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl486/files/2018-07/Manual_OIM-digital.pdf

6. Canales AI, Fuentes JA, De León CR. Desarrollo y migración: desafíos y oportunidades en los países del norte de Centroamérica [Internet]. 2019. Available from: http://repositorio.cepal.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/55aaa08e-7c40-4d21-90bf-1402d422b400/content

7. Roy C. Synthesis of middle range theory of Adapting to Life Events. En: Generating middle range theory: From evidence to practice. New York: Springer Publishing Company. 2014

8. Ospina Romero AM, Muñoz Rodríguez L, Ruíz de Cárdenas CH. Coping and adaptation process during puerperium. Colombia Medica. 2012; 43(2):167-74.

9. Roy, C. Research Based on the Roy Adaptation Model: Last 25 Years. Nursing Science Quarterly. 2011; 24(4):312-20.

10. Levesque L, Ricard N, Ducharme F, Duquette A, Bonin J-P. Empirical Verification of a Theoretical Model Derived From the Roy Adaptation Model: Findings From Five Studies. Nursing Science Quarterly. 1998; 11: 31-9.

11. Whittemore R, Knafl K. The integrative review: updated methodology. Journal of advanced nursing. 2005; 52(5):546-53.

12. Redcaspe – Programa de Habilidades en Lectura Crítica Español [Internet]. [cited 2025 Jun. 24]. Available from: https://redcaspe.org/

13. Roy C. Generating Middle Range Theory: From Evidence to Practice. [Internet]. Springer Publishing Company; 2014.

14. Page M J, McKenzie J E, Bossuyt P M, Boutron I, Hoffmann T C, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021; 372(71):n71.

15. Sibrian N. Ajustes emocionales de una gestante e inmigrante en Chile: estrategias para atenuar el sufrimiento. Athenea Digital. Revista de Pensamiento e Investigación Social. 2021; 21(2):1-21.

16. Song JE, Ahn JA, Kim T, Roh EH. A qualitative review of immigrant women’s experiences of maternal adaptation in South Korea. Midwifery. 2016; 39:35-43.

17. Higginbottom GMA, Hadziabdic E, Yohani S, Paton P. Immigrant women’s experience of maternity services in Canada: A meta-ethnography. Midwifery. 2014; 30(5):544-59.

18. Lukin TT, Saidarab S, Bogren M, Premberg Å. Syrian women’s experiences of being pregnant and receiving care at antenatal clinics in Sweden for the first time after migration. Sexual & Reproductive Health Care. 2023; 35:1-6.

19. Lin ML, Wang HH. Prenatal examination behavior of Southeast Asian pregnant women in Taiwan: A questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2008 ;45(5):697-705. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.12.005

20. Viken B, Lyberg A, Severinsson E. Maternal Health Coping Strategies of Migrant Women in Norway. Nursing Research and Practice. 2015; 2015:1-11. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/878040

21. Kim P. How stress can influence brain adaptations to motherhood. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. 2021; 60:1-17. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100875

22. González-Mesa E, Kabukcuoglu K, Körükcü O, Blasco M, Ibrahim N, Kavas T. Cultural factors influencing antenatal depression: A cross-sectional study in a cohort of Turkish and Spanish women at the beginning of the pregnancy. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018; 238:256-60.

23. Qian Y, Mao Y. Coping with cultural differences in healthcare: Chinese immigrant mothers’ health information sharing via WeChat. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 2021; 84:315-24.

24. Page RL. Positive Pregnancy Outcomes in Mexican Immigrants: What Can We Learn? Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing. 2004; 33(6):783-90.

25. Nguyen N. Strangers helping strangers in a strange land: Vietnamese immigrant (expectant) mothers in the US use social media to navigate health issues in acculturation. Digital Health. 2023; 9:1-15.

26. McLeish J & Redshaw M. ‘She come like a sister to me’: a qualitative study of volunteer social support for disadvantaged women in the transition to motherhood in England. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences. 2021; 376:1-8.

27. Qureshi R, Pacquiao DF. Ethnographic Study of Experiences of Pakistani Women Immigrants With Pregnancy, Birthing, and Postpartum Care in the United States and Pakistan. Journal of Transcultural Nursing. 2013; 24(4):355-62.

28. Stanhope KK, Comeau DL, Ulloa M, Leon JS, Suglia SF, Hogue CJR, et al. Perceptions of stress and resilience among Latina women enrolled in prenatal care in Metro Atlanta through an ecosocial lens. Health and Social Care in the Community. 2021; 29(6):e348-e358.

29. Knorr DA, Fox M. An evolutionary perspective on the association between grandmother-mother relationships and maternal mental health among a cohort of pregnant Latina women. Evolution and Human Behavior. 2023; 44(1):30-8.

30. Quintanilha M, Mayan MJ, Thompson J, Bell RC. Contrasting “back home” and “here”: how Northeast African migrant women perceive and experience health during pregnancy and postpartum in Canada. International Journal for Equity in Health. 2016; 15(1):80.

31. Rao VS, Dahlen HG, Razee H. Indian migrant women’s experiences of motherhood and postnatal support in Australia: A qualitative study. Women and Birth. 2020; 33(5):479-89

32. Kyngäs, H. Qualitative Research and Content Analysis. In: Kyngäs, H., Mikkonen, K., Kääriäinen, M. (eds) The Application of Content Analysis in Nursing Science Research. 2020. Springer Nature Link, Cham.

33. Coo S, García MI, Prieto F, Medina F. The role of interpersonal emotional regulation on maternal mental health. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. 2020; 40(1):3–21.

34. Morelen D, Shaffer A, Suveg C. Maternal Emotion Regulation: Links to Emotion Parenting and Child Emotion Regulation. Journal of Family Issues. 2014; 37(13):1891-916.

35. Downe S, Ng E, Shorey S. Cultural competence and experiences of maternity health care providers on care for migrant women: A qualitative meta-synthesis. Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care. 2021; 48(4): 458-69.

36. Zhi X, Mai D, McKenzie-Mcharg K. Investigating cultural conflicts in everyday self-care among Chinese first-time pregnant migrants in Australia. Midwifery. 2024; 135:104038.

37. Crowther S, Lau A. Migrant Polish women overcoming communication challenges in Scottish maternity services: A qualitative descriptive study. Midwifery. 2019; 72: 30-8.

38. Lindskog B, Bains S, Diep L, Owe K, Vangen S, Sørbye I, Sundby J. Communication barriers in maternity care - a questionnaire study among migrants to Norway. European Journal of Public Health. 2020; 30(S5): v14-v15.

39. Nowak A, Kolip P, Mohwinkel L, Kasper A. Maternal health care for refugee women - A qualitative review. Midwifery. 2021; 104.

40. Bains S, Sundby J, Lindskog B, Skråning S, Vangen S, Sørbye I. Challenges and barriers to optimal maternity care for recently migrated women - a mixed-method study in Norway. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021; 21:686

41. Cremin A, Matvienko-Sikar K, Meaney S, Olander E. Prenatal maternal stress, social support, health behaviours and stress-reduction strategies during pregnancy. Preprint. Available from: https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/ycgf5

42. Suryaningsih EK, Gau ML, Kao CH, Liu CY, Kuo SY, Liaw JJ. Effect of Childbirth Education Program on Maternal Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial Using Roy's Adaptation Model. Journal of Health Technology Assessment in Midwifery. 2023; 6(1):36-48.

43. Zlotnick C, Leahy-Warren P, Manor-Lavon I. Relationship between social support and postpartum depression in migrant and non-migrant first-time mothers. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2022; 32(7-8):1316-26.

44. Fellmeth G, Plugge E, Fazel M, Nosten S, Oo M, Pimanpanarak M, et al. Perinatal depression in migrant and refugee women on the Thai–Myanmar border: does social support matter? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences. 2021; 376:20200030.

45. Stevenson K, Ogunlana K, Edwards S, Henderson W, Rayment-Jones H, McGranahan M, et al. Interventions to improve perinatal outcomes among migrant women in high-income countries: a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open. 2023; 13:e072090.

46. Stevenson F, Edwards S, Ogunlana K, Alomari M, Agoropopoola R, Henderson W, et al. Public health, policy, and clinical interventions to improve perinatal care for migrant women and infants in high-income countries: a systematic review. eClinicalMedicine. 2024; 78:102938.

47. Omidvar S, Faramarzi M, Hajian-Tilak K, Nasiri Amiri F. Associations of psychosocial factors with pregnancy healthy life styles. Plos One. 2018; 13(1): e0197389.

48. Heslehurst N, Brown H, Pemu A, Coleman H, Rankin J. Perinatal health outcomes and care among asylum seekers and refugees: a systematic review of systematic reviews. BMC Medicine. 2018; 16:89.

49. Correa-Betancoür M. Profesionales de enfermería y el cuidado de migrantes internacionales en chile: rol de la competencia cultural. Ciencia y Enfermería. 2019; 25:14.

50. Shorey S, Ng ED, Downe S. Cultural competence and experiences of maternity health care providers on care for migrant women: A qualitative meta‐synthesis. Birth. 2021; 48(4):458-69.

51. Cruz-Riveros C, Urzúa A, Macaya-Aguirre G & Cabieses B. Meanings and Practices in Intercultural Health for International Migrants. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(20):13670.

52. Bäärnhielm S, Schouler-Ocak M. Training in cultural psychiatry: Translating research into improvements in mental health care for migrants. Transcultural Psychiatry. 2022; 59(2):111-5.

53. Eslier M, Azria E, Chatzistergiou K, Stewart Z, Dechartres A & Deneux-Tharaux C. Association between migration and severe maternal outcomes in high-income countries: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Plos Medicine. 2023; 20(6):e1004257.

54. Gieles N, Tankink J, Van-Midde M, Düker J, Van der Lans P, Wessels C, et al. Maternal and perinatal outcomes of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Europe: a systematic review, European Journal of Public Health. 2019; 29(4):714–23.

55. Herrero-Arias R, Hollekim R, Haukanes H & Vagli A. The emotional journey of motherhood in migration. The case of Southern European mothers in Norway. Migration Studies. 2021; 9(3):1230–49.

56. Machado S, Zaki S, Villasin R, Berry N, Lavergne R, Wiedmeyer, M, et al. “When I came to Canada, I almost forgot myself: Where I am, who I am”: A qualitative exploration of how im/migration shapes young women's experiences of pregnancy, motherhood, and marriage. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health. 2023; 4:100299.

57. Schmied V, Black E, Naidoo N, Dahlen HG, Liamputtong P. Migrant women’s experiences, meanings and ways of dealing with postnatal depression: A meta-ethnographic study. Foster AM, editor. Plos One. 2017; 12(3): e0172385.

58. Sherraden MS, Barrera RE. Culturally-Protective Health Practices: Everyday Pregnancy Care Among Mexican Immigrants. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work. 1997: 6(1-2):93-115.

59. Estrada-Moreno IS, Palma-García M, Gómez J, Hombrados-Mendieta,MI. Resilience in immigrants: a facilitating resource for their social integration. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work. 2025:1–16.

60. Zaman M, McCann V, Friesen S, Noriega M, Marisol M, Bartels S, et al. Experiences of pregnant Venezuelan migrants/refugees in Brazil, Ecuador and Peru: a qualitative analysis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024; 24:157.