Pregnant behind bars – Makayla Agyemang
This blog offers a glimpse into pregnancy in prisons, discussing the assistance provided to expectant mothers inside the facilities and how they handle being pregnant while incarcerated.
The ways that prisons support women who are pregnant or planning to become mothers have changed over time. The mother and child unit, about which I will write more in this blog, has been used to accomplish this. By doing this, institutions have improved the conditions for pregnant inmates.
System for pregnant prisoners:
Women in England are permitted to give birth and raise their children for a set period of time. They are allowed to raise their children for the first 18 months in a mother and baby unit (GOV.UK, 2011). However, not all prisons operate in this manner. For instance, after a woman gives birth, several prisons in America take the infant away and give it to a family member or foster care. If a woman has served time in prison and had a child before being put in prison, she may request to take the child into custody while there. For those inmates who have children older than 18 months, social services will be contacted, with the promise that their children’s safety will be given top priority.
There are 19 mother and baby units in the UK. Peterborough, Styal, and Eastwood Park are some of these units. There are only 64 moms and 70 babies allowed, thus there are a restricted number of spots available. To get a spot in the mother and baby unit, mothers would have to apply. They can apply when they first arrive to prison, and admissions will decide whether they get it or not, putting the needs of the child first. If the woman applies for a particular unit in an area and is rejected, the prison may offer them a spot in another unit. If not, they can appeal, and social services will arrange for care for the child outside of the prison in the interim.
Help offered to pregnant women behind bars:
Mother and baby units can assist mothers who struggle with mental health issues both during and after giving delivery. Extreme postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and bipolar illness can all be treated by this centre for moms. Mothers can develop a relationship with their child in the units, where they can also receive care and counselling. Private bathrooms and a baby cot are included in each room. Through child benefits, other expenses may be covered. There are qualified prison staff members and nursery nurses in the unit. Some of these facilities also have perinatal psychiatrists, perinatal mental health nurses, pharmacists, and psychologists. For when they are released from prison, mothers are taught new skills in the facility including cooking and cleaning. This programme motivates moms and fosters their connection with their children while also assisting in the reduction of reoffending rates.
Negatives of being pregnant behind bars:
Women in prison, especially those who are expecting a child, have found it challenging. (Hewson, 2022) Since March 2022, the number of female inmates who self-harm has increased by 7%. Children were not allowed to see their mothers in prison during COVID 19, and those living in mother and baby units were not allowed to see anybody outside the facility. In addition, not all mothers are able to enter the unit, and as a result, they frequently lose contact with their child, which can result in mental health problems. This may be harmful to the mother and child as well as have a bad impact on the future prospects of the child.
If the mother doesn’t adhere to the compact agreement or care plan, there is a potential that she will be removed from this unit. If this occurs, they will also lose contact with their child, and you will no longer have a spot at the unit. Being removed from this unit should only be done as a last resort because it affects the child negatively.
(Davies, 2022) Premature labour rates are greater among pregnant women in prisons in England than among all women, according to studies. As a result, the mortality rate and risk of impairment are higher for many premature infants. This illustrates that pregnant women within prison are not treated equally to those outside. Prisons do not provide women with the same rights to healthcare that those outside do. For instance, pregnant inmates do not attend as many midwifery appointments, their risk of miscarriage is much higher, and they are more likely to have high-risk pregnancies.
The prison needs to do better to support these women.
Pregnant behind bars case example:
(The Guardian, 2022) While doing research for this piece, I came across a recent Guardian article with the headline “Urgent call for review into sentencing pregnant women due to health risks.” It describes how health professionals and activists wrote to the justice secretary to discuss pregnant inmates and the risks of giving birth while incarcerated. This article highlights how the stress experienced by the female prisoners leads to miscarriages, the prospect for child separation, and from the inability to get basic comfort. One of the cases discussed in the article, Anna Harley, tells about her experience pregnancy while incarcerated. When she went into labour, the prison held up getting her an ambulance for hours. She had to wait six weeks for a spot in the mother and baby unit, where she was finally able to meet her child. She later recalled that this period of time was the worst of her life.
Summary:
In conclusion, the mother and child unit help women form a bond with their new born child. The prison provides resources to aid mothers in coping and to assist children if they are unable to be with their mother today. It’s not as simple as it may seem to be pregnant while incarcerated since there are complications. Pregnant women should have the same rights inside prison as they do outside, but this is not the case. The system needs to be changed since the number of pregnant women who miscarry owing to their time in prison is rising and we need to stop it.
Do you know anyone that has been pregnant behind bars?
https://www.gov.uk/life-in-prison/pregnancy-and-childcare-in-prison
https://backintosociety.co.uk/2021/04/12/prison-mother-and-baby-units-in-england-and-wales/
https://prisonreformtrust.org.uk/women-on-remand-more-likely-to-self-harm/
https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/pregnant-and-postnatal-women-in-prison-a-q-a