• Oluseyi Ogunleye, James A Shelton, Anna Ireland, Myron Glick, and John Yeh.
• Department of Gynecology-Obstetrics, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
• J Natl Med Assoc. 2010 Jun 1; 102 (6): 481-4.

ObjectiveTo compare preferences in pregnant Somali and Sudanese immigrants with US-born women for different labor and delivery procedures and practices.Study DesignPregnant women who received prenatal care services at the Jericho Road Family Practice were surveyed. Ninety-three consecutive patients agreed to participate. A translator-facilitated questionnaire was administered to Somali-, Sudanese-, and U.S.-born women during antenatal visits.ResultsFor pain relief in labor, 66.7% of U.S.-born, 64.0% of Somali, and 12.5% of Sudanese women preferred epidural analgesia (p = .002). More U.S.-born women preferred for the umbilical cord to be cut by their partners (76.2%) vs. Somali (6.7%) and Sudanese (0%) (p < .001). For infant feeding, more U.S.-born women (47%) preferred only formula feeding (Somali, 3.4%; Sudanese, 0%; p < .001). Responses were not statistically different for other preference questions, such as mobility/position in labor, attendants in labor, and duration of hospital stay.ConclusionsThis prospective survey quantifies the differences in preferences for labor and delivery practices from two foreign populations and from U.S.-born women. This information is useful for all physicians who wish to better meet the needs of individual patients, especially those who are from different cultures and backgrounds.

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