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First Nations families' maternity care experiences in the Australian Capital Territory: Kapati Time Yarning, intergenerational trauma and the case for Birthing with Country.

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Τίτλος: First Nations families' maternity care experiences in the Australian Capital Territory: Kapati Time Yarning, intergenerational trauma and the case for Birthing with Country.
Συγγραφείς: Williams K; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, 11 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT, 2617, Australia. Electronic address: Karel.Williams@canberra.edu.au., Hamilton SL; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, 11 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT, 2617, Australia; The Kids Research Institute, PO Box 855, West Perth, WA 6872, Australia. Electronic address: Sharynne.Hamilton@canberra.edu.au., Bacon R; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, 11 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT, 2617, Australia; Central Queensland University, Qld, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Bruce Highway, North Rockhampton, Australia. Electronic address: r.bacon@cqu.edu.au., Peek AL; Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: 22227114@student.westernsydney.edu.au., Northam Oam H; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, 11 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT, 2617, Australia; Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: H.Northam@westernsydney.edu.au.
Πηγή: Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of Midwives [Women Birth] 2026 Apr; Vol. 39 (2), pp. 102183. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Feb 11.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: Elsevier Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 101266131 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1878-1799 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 18715192 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Women Birth Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: Amsterdam ; New York : Elsevier, c2006-
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): Indigenous Peoples*/psychology , Parturition*/psychology , Historical Trauma* , Intergenerational Relations* , Maternal Health Services*, Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Australia ; Culturally Competent Care ; Health Services, Indigenous ; Qualitative Research ; Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
Περίληψη: Problem: First Nations women often experience harmful, inequitable maternity care, shaped by intergenerational trauma and culturally unsafe care.
Background: Historical forced removal of First Nations children has created enduring trauma that influences pregnancy and birthing experiences. In the Australian Capital Territory, maternity care is provided through Western biomedical systems, where increasing child protection interventions and fear of surveillance affect women's engagement with care.
Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the maternity care experiences of First Nations women and families in the Australian Capital Territory, and to understand participants' perspectives of culturally safe models of care.
Methods: This study used Kapati Time Yarning, an Indigenous Research Method based on relational storytelling. Fourteen First Nations women, partners, and family members participated between October 2024 and March 2025. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Findings: Intergenerational trauma was identified as a key theme, with participants describing a persistent fear of child removal, race-based surveillance, and mistrust within maternity services. Pregnancy and birth were experienced as instances of heightened scrutiny, prompting hypervigilance, embodied protective behaviours, and care-avoidance, reinforcing cycles of trauma across generations.
Discussion: Many First Nations people are birthing away from their ancestral Country. The articulation of Birthing with Country offers a pathway to reframe maternity care by bringing Country, cultural authority, and relational care into the maternity space.
Conclusion: Intergenerational trauma linked to forced child removals is actively reproduced within maternal health services. First Nations-led, culturally safe models such as Birthing with Country are essential to disrupt fear and surveillance, build trust, and support wellbeing.
(Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Birthing with Country; Child removal; Indigenous peoples; Intergenerational trauma; Maternal health services; Psychological trauma
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260212 Date Completed: 20260707 Latest Revision: 20260730
Update Code: 20260730
DOI: 10.1016/j.wombi.2026.102183
PMID: 41679160
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE
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  Data: First Nations families' maternity care experiences in the Australian Capital Territory: Kapati Time Yarning, intergenerational trauma and the case for Birthing with Country.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Williams+K%22">Williams K</searchLink>; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, 11 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT, 2617, Australia. Electronic address: Karel.Williams@canberra.edu.au.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Hamilton+SL%22">Hamilton SL</searchLink>; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, 11 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT, 2617, Australia; The Kids Research Institute, PO Box 855, West Perth, WA 6872, Australia. Electronic address: Sharynne.Hamilton@canberra.edu.au.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Bacon+R%22">Bacon R</searchLink>; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, 11 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT, 2617, Australia; Central Queensland University, Qld, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Bruce Highway, North Rockhampton, Australia. Electronic address: r.bacon@cqu.edu.au.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Peek+AL%22">Peek AL</searchLink>; Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: 22227114@student.westernsydney.edu.au.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Northam+Oam+H%22">Northam Oam H</searchLink>; University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, 11 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT, 2617, Australia; Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: H.Northam@westernsydney.edu.au.
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Problem: First Nations women often experience harmful, inequitable maternity care, shaped by intergenerational trauma and culturally unsafe care.<br />Background: Historical forced removal of First Nations children has created enduring trauma that influences pregnancy and birthing experiences. In the Australian Capital Territory, maternity care is provided through Western biomedical systems, where increasing child protection interventions and fear of surveillance affect women's engagement with care.<br />Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the maternity care experiences of First Nations women and families in the Australian Capital Territory, and to understand participants' perspectives of culturally safe models of care.<br />Methods: This study used Kapati Time Yarning, an Indigenous Research Method based on relational storytelling. Fourteen First Nations women, partners, and family members participated between October 2024 and March 2025. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.<br />Findings: Intergenerational trauma was identified as a key theme, with participants describing a persistent fear of child removal, race-based surveillance, and mistrust within maternity services. Pregnancy and birth were experienced as instances of heightened scrutiny, prompting hypervigilance, embodied protective behaviours, and care-avoidance, reinforcing cycles of trauma across generations.<br />Discussion: Many First Nations people are birthing away from their ancestral Country. The articulation of Birthing with Country offers a pathway to reframe maternity care by bringing Country, cultural authority, and relational care into the maternity space.<br />Conclusion: Intergenerational trauma linked to forced child removals is actively reproduced within maternal health services. First Nations-led, culturally safe models such as Birthing with Country are essential to disrupt fear and surveillance, build trust, and support wellbeing.<br /> (Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
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  Data: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.
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