Disparities in Neonatal Health Outcomes Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Women in Canada: A Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: Despite recent advancements in women’s health, particularly in maternal and neonatal healthcare, disparities persist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in Canada. Historically, the impact of colonialism and systemic racism in Canada has been profound and disproportionate towards Indigenous women, particularly in maternal healthcare settings. Efforts to diminish Indigenous populations were observed in the late 1800s with the ban on Indigenous midwifery and again in 1928 with the implementation of the Sterilization Act.

Methods: This literature review aims to examine the neonatal health outcomes of Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in Canada, exploring current literature to emphasize the disparities between the two populations. To reflect the current understanding of the topic, using the PubMed and Scopus databases, an extensive literature search was conducted across open academic sources to identify relevant scholarly articles published after 2000.

Results: The findings of the studies consistently found that Indigenous women, particularly Inuit women, experienced higher rates of stillbirth, preterm birth, and infant mortality compared to non-Indigenous women.

Discussion: Risk factors commonly identified as influencing such disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations include a range of social determinants of health and maternal health variables. The findings of this literature review highlight existing inequities in the maternal healthcare system adversely affecting Indigenous women and can be used to inform policy changes and improve neonatal health outcomes.

Conclusion: There is a significant lack of research on the maternal health care experiences of Indigenous women; thus, this review seeks to bridge these gaps by providing frameworks to understand these disparities while encouraging further research on this critical topic for marginalized Indigenous communities.