ABSTRACT
This chapter considers asylum seeking and refugee (AS&R) women in terms of who they are, how they came to seek asylum, and how the experiences of persecution, war, loss, flight and exile may have affected them physically and psychologically. It discusses strategies that will help midwives and healthcare professionals to care for these women and to ensure that the journey through pregnancy and childbirth does not traumatise them further. One of the most important factors that contributes to an understanding of these women is a knowledge of the different statuses of asylum seekers and refugees in the United Kingdom, as their living conditions and concerns will be significantly different. During pregnancy and childbirth they require knowledge, sensitivity and understanding. The midwife should be alert to signs of trauma and be aware of the complex issues in the refugee woman's life.
