Objective: To compare preferences in pregnant Somali and Sudanese immigrants with US-born women for different labor and delivery procedures and practices. Study Design: Pregnant women who received prenatal care services at the Jericho Road Family Practice were surveyed. Ninety-three consecutive patients agreed to participate. A translator-facilitated questionnaire was administered to Somali-, Sudanese-, and US-born women during antenatal visits. Results: For pain relief in labor, 66.7% of US-born, 64.0% of Somali, and 12.5% of Sudanese women preferred epidural analgesia (p = .002). More US-born women preferred for the umbilical cord to be cut by their partners (76.2%) vs Somali (6.7%) and Sudanese (0%) (p < .001). For infant feeding, more US-born women (47%) preferred only formula feeding (Somali, 3.4%; Sudanese, 0%; p < .001). Responses were not statistically different for other preference questions, such as mobility/position in labor, attendants in labor, and duration of hospital stay. Conclusions: This prospective survey quantifies the differences in preferences for labor and delivery practices from two foreign populations and from US-born women. This information is useful for all physicians who wish to better meet the needs of individual patients, especially those who are from different cultures and backgrounds.

Obstetrics/gynecology immigrants Survey

doctor patient relation Physician-Patient Relations prospective study immigrant epidural anesthesia hospitalization prenatal care methodology Population Surveillance Prospective Studies human statistics Sudan infant feeding prenatal period health service ethnic group priority journal comparative study Labor, Obstetric ethnology health care practice African American United States Young Adult Humans Emigrants and Immigrants female Infant artificial milk umbilical cord questionnaire pregnancy analgesia women's health Article delivery adult migration Somalia patient attitude pregnant woman ethnicity patient preference Delivery, Obstetric African Americans labor health survey