Scottish Government Equality Outcomes: Pregnancy and Maternity Evidence Review

17 Appendix: Methods

17.1 This rapid evidence review presents an overview of relevant evidence on discrimination related to pregnancy and maternity. This report reflects the material accessed and reviewed within a short time period by a team of researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University, and is not intended as a comprehensive review. It should therefore be noted that, due to the time constraints under which this review was prepared, the evidence search has been selective rather than systematic or exhaustive.

17.2 Researchers were made aware of a previous report prepared internally for the Scottish Government's Communities Analytical Services Division in 2012, and have incorporated relevant supplementary material. A bibliography of over 120 references has been compiled from material accessed in the review by the Glasgow Caledonian University researchers, and with the preliminary material from the Scottish Government report.

17.3 The evidence reviewed was drawn from academic research and commentary, and specialist research and campaign materials. It was sourced through on-line databases, including Discover, Google Scholar, and academic journal sites. The search terms used included: women, pregnancy, maternity, discrimination. These were searched within the policy areas prescribed in the project specification: education, employment, poverty, housing, transport, hate crime and domestic abuse, access to justice, public appointments, health, social care, and participation in sport and culture.

17.4 The criteria for inclusion of evidence in this review were that it should have been produced within approximately the last ten years, be based on ideally on Scottish or else on UK data where this is available, and address the relevant policy areas.