Co-production · King's College London / Maternity Voices Matter / Mummy’s Day Out
Maternity Experiences Photovoice
“Women’s own photographs created new ways to understand and discuss inequalities in maternity care.”
The challenge
Inequalities in maternity care needed to be understood through women’s everyday experiences
Inequalities in maternity outcomes are well documented, but statistics can hide the everyday conditions through which care is experienced. Family life, work, immigration, housing, language, childcare, relationships and informal support all shape pregnancy and motherhood. The project wanted to create a way for women to show these experiences on their own terms, including experiences that may be difficult to put into conventional research language.
What we did
Mothers photographed the places, relationships and moments that shaped their maternity experiences
Open Routes Research facilitated the photovoice process with women in Lambeth. Participants learned how to use photography to communicate an idea, took photographs between sessions and developed captions and stories around their images. Group sessions created space for reflection, humour, difficult experiences and shared recognition. Participants also took part in co-analysis, using visual tools to group images and identify the messages they wanted healthcare staff, researchers and the wider public to hear.
What changed
Women’s images opened new conversations about how maternity inequalities are experienced
The project produced a rich visual account of maternity care that asks services to see the person beyond an isolated healthcare encounter. The work highlighted hidden labour, the importance of meaningful support and the uniqueness of each maternity journey. Participant photographs and words were exhibited at Science Gallery London, creating a route for women’s analysis to reach healthcare, academic and public audiences.
Outputs
Photovoice workshops; participant photographs and captions; co-analysis; Science Gallery London exhibition; project booklet and academic write-up in development