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Table 1 Summary of included systematic reviews

From: Perinatal health outcomes and care among asylum seekers and refugees: a systematic review of systematic reviews

Author, year

Aim of the systematic review

Methods

Population included

Search strategy (years, databases and supplementary searches)

Alhasanat and Fry-McComish 2015 [16]

To identify the prevalence and risk factors for postnatal depression amongst immigrant women in industrialised countries and compare it with prevalence and risk factors amongst Arab women in their home countries

Quantitative with narrative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1990–2013

Four databases searched

No supplementary searches

Anderson et al. 2017 [5]

To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of mental disorders in the perinatal period amongst migrant women

Quantitative with meta-analysis

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

From inception of database to Oct 2015

Six databases searched

No supplementary searches

Aubrey et al. 2017 [9]

To broadly explore and synthesise current evidence surrounding women’s preference for female physicians in obstetrics and gynaecology

Mixed methods

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

From inception of database

Five databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list, citations

Balaam et al. 2013 [30]

To explore migrant women’s perceptions of their needs and experiences related to pregnancy and childbirth

Qualitative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1996–2010

Seven databases searched

No supplementary searches

Bollini et al. 2009 [26]

To explore whether differences in pregnancy outcomes observed across receiving countries in Europe are associated with varying degrees of implementation of integration policies

Quantitative with meta-analysis

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1966–2004

One database searched

No supplementary searches

Collins et al. 2011 [18]

To review the rates and risk factors associated with postnatal depression in refugees, asylum seekers and migrant women

Quantitative with narrative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1990–2009

Ten databases searched

No supplementary searches

De Maio 2010 [19]

This review investigates the health of immigrants to Canada by critically examining differences in health status between immigrants and the native-born population and by tracing how the health of immigrants changes after settling in the country

Quantitative with narrative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1990–2010

Four databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Downe et al. 2009 [31]

To locate and synthesise qualitative accounts of barriers to antenatal care as reported by high-risk, marginalised, pregnant women in the UK

Qualitative

Marginalised populations including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1980–2007

Seven databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Falah-Hassani et al. 2015 [17]

Estimate the prevalence of postpartum depressive systems in immigrant women. Compare this prevalence to non-immigrant women. Determine risk factors for postpartum depressive systems in immigrant women

Quantitative with meta-analysis

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1950–2014

Seven databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Fellmeth et al. 2017 [6]

Summarise and synthesise evidence on prevalence, associated factors and effectiveness of interventions for any perinatal mental disorder in migrant women

Quantitative with meta-analysis

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

No specific start date until January 2015

Eight databases searched

Supplementary searches: hand searching journals, reference list

Gagnon et al. 2009 [25]

To assess whether migrants in western industrialised countries have consistently poorer perinatal health than receiving-country women

Quantitative with meta-analysis

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1995–2008

Four databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list, citations

Gissler et al. 2009 [27]

To determine if migrants in western industrialised countries have consistently higher risks of stillbirth, neonatal mortality or infant mortality; if there are migrant sub-groups at potentially higher risk; and what might be the explanations for any risk differences found

Quantitative with meta-analysis

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1995–2006

Four databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Hadgkiss and Renzaho 2014 [14]

To document physical health problems that asylum seekers experience on settlement in the community and to assess their utilisation of healthcare services and barriers to care, in an international context

Mixed methods

Asylum seekers

2002–2012

Four databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Heaman et al. 2013 [35]

Do migrant women in Western industrialised countries have higher odds of inadequate prenatal care compared to receiving-country women, and what factors are associated with inadequate prenatal care amongst migrant women in Western industrialised countries?

Quantitative with narrative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1995–2010

Three databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Higginbottom et al. 2015 [36]

What are the experiences of immigrant women in Canada in accessing and navigating maternity and healthcare services from conception to 6 months postpartum?

Mixed methods

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

Inception to 2013 Ten databases searched

Supplementary searches: hand searches within journal websites

Higginbottom et al. 2014 [32]

To synthesise qualitative literature to describe how immigrant women experience maternity services in Canada

Qualitative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

Inception to March 2012

Eight databases searched

Supplementary searches: contacting authors, reference list

Higginbottom et al. 2012 [23]

To identify and descriptively synthesise current empirical literature on immigrants’ experiences of maternity healthcare services in Canada, to outline practice implications and/or to offer recommendations for future research

Mixed methods

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

2000–2010

Five databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list, citations

Mengesha et al. 2016 [10]

To identify studies that focussed on the views and experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse women in accessing sexual and reproductive health care in Australia

Mixed methods

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

April 1990–May 2015

Seven databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Merry et al. 2013 [28]

To determine if migrants in Western industrialised countries consistently have different rates of caesarean than receiving-country-born women and to identify the reasons that explain these differences

Quantitative with meta-analysis

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

Inception to Jan 2012

Eleven databases searched Supplementary searches: reference list

Merry et al. 2016 [7]

To provide a synthesis to what is known regarding caesarean births amongst migrants living in high-income countries

Quantitative with narrative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

2012–2015

Thirteen databases searched

No supplementary searches

Nilaweera et al. 2014 [22]

To summarise the available evidence about the prevalence, nature and determinants of postpartum mental health problems amongst women born in South Asian countries who had migrated to high-income countries, and identify barriers and enablers to seeking health care for these difficulties

Mixed methods

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

Inception to February 2013

Four databases searched

No supplementary searches

Pedersen et al. 2014

[24]

A meta-analysis of all published observational studies from Western European countries comparing the risk of maternal mortality between the receiving-country women and a defined migrant population

Quantitative with meta-analysis

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1970–2013

Four databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Schmied et al. 2017 [8]

To report the findings of a meta-ethnographic study of the experiences, meanings and ways of ‘dealing with’ symptoms or a diagnosis of postnatal depression amongst migrant women living in high-income countries with a view to informing culturally appropriate health service design and delivery

Qualitative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1999–2016

Five databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list, citations

Small et al. 2014 [33]

There were two review questions: 1. What do immigrant and non-immigrant women want from their maternity care? 2. How do immigrant and non-immigrant women’s experiences and ratings of care compare, both within and across included countries?

Qualitative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1989–2011 Five databases searched

No supplementary searches

Tobin et al. 2017 [20]

To synthesise qualitative research on refugee and immigrant women’s experiences of postpartum depression to gain insight into the unique needs of this group of women

Qualitative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

2004–2014

Five databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Villalonga-Olives et al. 2016 [29]

To discuss differences between the USA and Europe regarding reproductive health outcomes of immigrants and to elucidate why these differences occur

Quantitative with narrative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

Dates not clear

Two databases searched

No supplementary searches

Wikberg and Bondas 2010 [34]

To explore and describe a patient perspective in research on intercultural caring in maternity care

Qualitative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1995–2009

Twelve databases searched Supplementary searches: reference list

Winn et al. 2017 [11]

To understand the experiences of pregnant immigrant women accessing perinatal care in North America

Qualitative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

Inception to July 2016

Five databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list

Wittkowski et al. 2017 [21]

To appraise and assimilate qualitative findings of postnatal depression in immigrant mothers

Qualitative

Migrant including asylum seekers and/or refugees

1990–2014

Six databases searched

Supplementary searches: reference list