Table 3 Characteristics of included studies

Study 1: Ali & Burchett, 2004 [25]

To raise awareness amongst HCPs and to challenge the racial and religious stereotypes that affect Muslim women’s birth experiences.

Interpretive descriptive – theoretical approach unclear

Inclusion:

-Given birth within 3 years

-Born and raised in UK and those born/raised overseas

-Born Muslim or converted to Islam

-Regardless of the women wearing the hijab (head scarf)

-Regardless of income and ability to speak English

Sampling via the project’s advisory group

Recruited across regions in Central and Northern England

n = 43 women from variety of backgrounds including Iraqi,

Pakistani, Bangladeshi,

European, Indian, Somali and African

n = 22 men (partners)

n = 8 HCPs

5 focus groups with Muslim women;

Questionnaires with Muslim men;

Telephone interviews with HCPs

Focus group – framework analysis

Open-ended question in questionnaire – content analysis

HCPs telephone interviews - both framework and content analysis

Study 2: Hassan, 2017 [26]; Hassan et al., 2019 [27]

To investigate Muslim women’s motherhood journey and explore the factors that influenced their health needs and decision making when engaging with services.

Interpretive descriptive

Inclusion:

Phase 1 and 2: First time Muslim pregnant women aged≥18 engaging with maternity services and Muslim mothers who had experienced childbirth in past 3 years. All living and received maternity care in Merseyside, England

All English speaking

Phase 3: HCPs from a large maternity service in Merseyside

Phase 1 and 2:

Purposive sampling from the Muslim community and mailing group (used and created by a number of local Muslim women).

Phase 3:

Snowball sampling

Phase 1:

n = 8 pregnant women

Phase 2:

n = 24 mothers

(Varying in ethnicity, education, occupation, marital status etc.).

Phase 3:

n = 12 HCPs

Phase 1:

24 one-to-one longitudinal semi-structured interviews

Phase 2:

5 focus groups

Phase 3:

12 one-to-one interviews

Thematic analysis

Study 3: Alshawish et al., 2013 [28]

To investigate the access and use of maternity health services, as well as the barriers and facilitators for

Palestinian women.

Pragmatic approach, as reported by authors

Inclusion:

-Aged ≥18

-Palestinian Muslim

-Living in the UK

-Had children in one of the Arabic schools in Manchester, England

Purposive sampling is implied and snowball technique; invited through the Arabic school and local mosque

n = 22 Palestinian women living in different areas of Manchester

Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews.

Framework analysis

Study 4: Ellis, 2000 [29]

To explore the experience of second generation South Asian Muslim women and to highlight the issues of midwifery practice for this group.

Ethnography

Inclusion:

-Primiparous

-Aged 18–35

-Low risk pregnancy

-Second generation and educated in the UK

-South Asian Muslim

Purposive sampling is implied

n = 10; no information on ethnic background or other demographics

Semi-structured interviews 1 week after birth. Non-participant observation during labour. Review of birth-plan.

Thematic analysis is implied

Study 5: Bawadi, 2009 [30]

To gain insight into the lived experiences of migrant Arab Muslim women during their experiences of childbirth in the UK.

Phenomenology - Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology

Inclusion:

-Pregnant women living in and receiving maternity care in the UK

-Aged ≥18

-Migrants in the UK in the past 10 years from Arab countries

Purposive sampling and snowball sampling from Islamic centre, Arabic schools and Muslim women’s societies.

n = 8; varying ages, parity and reason for migration

22 longitudinal semi-structured interviews carried out in the antenatal, perinatal and postnatal period.

Thematic analysis and reports using an adapted version of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) together with hermeneutic principles.

Study 6: Bharj, 2007 [31]

To explore Pakistani Muslim women’s experiences of labour and maternity services to enable the development of responsive and sensitive midwifery care and knowledge.

Interpretive ethnographic

Inclusion:

-Pakistani Muslim women with no history of either medical or obstetric complexities

-Women identified as having healthy babies

- Women were excluded if they had experienced previous obstetric care or were multigravida

Recruited from 3 cities in Northern England using the snowballing approach.

Purposive sampling and convenience sampling from 9 antenatal classes

n = 27, including 13 primigravidae Pakistani Muslim women, 5 midwives and 9 interpreters

Semi-structured interviews and 3 participant observations during labour.

Content analysis (thematic framework approach)