Maternal Health Concerns for Pregnant Labor-Trafficked People: A Scoping Review

AbstractWe set out to map the (1) living/occupational hazards, (2) health outcomes, and (3) barriers to care that exist for pregnant labor-trafficked people. Eight databases were systematically searched based on inclusion criteria. Five papers were eligible for inclusion. Data on study characteristics, social determinants, hazardous exposures, health outcomes, and barriers to care were extracted and synthesized. Common risk factors and occupational/living hazards were identified. Both were thematically connected with barriers to care and a host of adverse health outcomes. More importantly, a significant gap was discovered with no disaggregated quantitative data on the experience of pregnancy among labor-trafficked people. The interaction of risk factors, occupational/living hazards, and barriers to care experienced by pregnant labor-trafficked people may influence their susceptibility to adverse health outcomes. We need population-based studies, informed by those with lived experience of labor trafficking to examine the experience of pregnancy for labor-trafficked people to improve intervention and support efforts for this population.
Source: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research