Our purpose in this research was to uncover first-person descriptions of the birth experiences of African refugee women in Brisbane, Australia, and to explore the common themes that emerged from their experiences. We conducted semistructured interviews with 10 African refugees who had given birth in Brisbane. Essences universal to childbirth such as pain, control, and experiences of caregivers featured prominently in participants' descriptions of their experiences. Their experiences, however, were further overshadowed by issues such as language barriers, the refugee experience, female genital mutilation (FGM), and encounters with health services with limited cultural competence. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

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cultural anthropology Communication Barriers birth refugee Australia psychological aspect literature human communication disorder Refugees ethnology Anecdotes as Topic health personnel attitude interview Attitude of Health Personnel Humans Interviews as Topic female Africa pregnancy patient satisfaction Circumcision, Female Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Article female circumcision patient attitude Patient Acceptance of Health Care Parturition Nurse-Patient Relations nurse patient relationship attitude to health Culture