Experiences of working as a cultural doula in Sweden: An interview study

INTRODUCTION: Cultural doulas have a unique role in providing support to foreign-born women and improving their reproductive health. The aim was to explore cultural doulas’ experiences of giving support to foreign-born women during pregnancy and after childbirth. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study with an inductive approach included six cultural doulas in Sweden. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The theme ‘To lead the way with pride’ was explored and described by the categories: A rewarding mission, A personal guide, and Makes the new society understandable. The cultural doulas gave support in the women’s mother tongue, something they experienced had contributed to reducing the risk of misunderstanding between women and healthcare professionals. The cultural doulas found their work important because the support they provided to women made healthcare more available to them. CONCLUSIONS: The cultural doulas felt proud when they experienced their work as meaningful and important. It was clear to them that their support and guidance had a positive impact on the women’s reproductive health as well as their integration into Swedish society. Cultural doulas could play an important role in building equal maternal healthcare in Sweden.