Born in translation: Midwifery practice with pregnant migrants — between stereotypes and empathy

The paper focuses on the concept of cultural competence and has as the main purpose to explore: a) the perception and representation of Italian midwives regarding the reproductive health and the childbirth cultures of immigrant women; b) strengths and weaknesses of their professional practices. Twenty midwives were interviewed. Data were analyzed using the grounded theory procedures of categorization and codification, integrated with template analysis. Findings highlighted eight thematic areas showing the presence of difficulties related to the relationships and communication between foreign patients and medical staff. The results also revealed the widespread belief that maternity, childbirth, and breastfeeding have a “universal grammar” linked to the female body and reproductive function can lead to an underestimation of the need for culturally competent services; on the other hands, an ideal-typical contrast appears in the participants’ discourse between an apparently egalitarian position of the same service for everyone and a desire for differentiated attention to diversity.