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Obstetric and Medico-Legal Challenges Posed by Sudden Immigrant Shift in a Southern Mediterranean Island

George Gregory Buttigieg*

The article examines some of the obstetric management problems and medico-legal implications encountered in Malta, a small island located between North Africa and Italy. The obstetric national service is one of European standards but problems do arise, at times in conveying optimal service to the patient for a number of reasons, including language and multi-faceted socio-cultural barriers These barriers, may set up obstacles, the effects of which may be gleaned from the study of similar or quasi-similar ethnic groups in countries with long experience of immigrants, be they regular or irregular. The problems encountered by the sub-Saharan pregnant female are referred to in particular. A number of the obstetric management challenges are also examined from possible current or future medico-legal involvement. The problem of Court ordered caesarean section is looked at a little closer, vis- à-vis constitutional rights in Malta and other countries.