Consent in pregnancy: a qualitative study of the experiences of ethnic minority women

Objective Consent in ante-natal and birthing contexts is often challenging, controversial and poorly understood. Increasing evidence indicates that ethnic minority women's overall experiences of ante-natal care are unsatisfactory, but little is known about their involvement in the consent process. This study aims to explore the views and experiences of ethnic minority women when making decisions requiring their consent. Design Qualitative interview study Setting A national study conducted in the UK Sample Seventeen self-selecting ethnic minority women who had given birth in a UK hospital in the previous 12 months. Methods In-depth telephone interviews with seventeen women. A thematic analysis was conducted with a focus on women’s experiences of the consent process. Results Three themes were identified. 1. Compromised choice: women experienced limited choice; some women were not asked for their consent at all, or consent was presumed. 2. Pressured consent and silencing: women reported feeling undermined and 'othered' based on their ethnicity. 3. Impersonal consent: discussions were impersonal and not tailored to women as individuals; some women suggested that healthcare professionals ignored cultural concerns which were important to them. Practice Implications There is an urgent need for healthcare professionals to be supported in actively facilitating consent consultations which enable women from ethnic minority backgrounds to freely voice their concerns and priorities without censure. Conclusions This exploratory study is a first step towards understanding how consent is experienced by ethnic minority women. Many women’s experiences reflected failure of healthcare professionals to support genuine choice-making which was perceived to be further undermined by negativity related to women’s ethnicity and cultural identity. There is a need for further research focusing on the consent experiences of specific ethnic minority groups.