Abstract
It is thought that approximately 400–600 women at various stages of pregnancy are incarcerated each year and around 100 babies are born to women in prison every year. Pregnant women may have complex physical and mental health needs which require expert, individualised care. My qualitative research looked at the experience of being a pregnant woman in the English prison system (Abbott, The incarcerated pregnancy: An ethnographic study of perinatal women in English prisons. University of Hertfordshire, 2018). Through interviews with pregnant women, staff and extensive time in the field observing prison life, analysis has uncovered common themes such as: stigma, survival and resilience. Some women went to some lengths to navigate the masculine system of prison in order to access resources (food and exercise) by being a “role model prisoner” and finding strategies of resistance. Women have to navigate the prison system in order to access resources such as: the right kinds of nutrition and ways to avoid stress. They may find strategies of resistance and resilience in order to survive and for some women, being in prison helps to facilitate change. Some women have reported finding that being in prison was the thing that enforced this resistance, tenacity and capacity for change, if a woman gains the right kind of support. The focus of the chapter concentrates on some of the findings of the current research, specifically: equivalence of health care; nutritional well-being; basic provisions (or lack of); changes in identity, and compassion and support for pregnant women in prison and embeds anonymised quotes from research participants to highlight their experiences. The chapter also describes how prison can be a safe haven for some women and introduces the concept of pregnancy itself being a unique ‘turning point’ for desistance and health.
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Notes
- 1.
A mother and baby unit places women who have successfully applied for a place, with their babies up to 18 months of age.
- 2.
Category A prisoners are deemed the most dangerous prisoners who require the strictest security conditions. Restricted status is any woman on remand or sentenced who poses a serious risk to public safety. Closed conditions are for women who are too substantial a risk for open conditions although requiring less security. Open conditions are for women who can be trusted and are a minimal risk to the public. (PSI 39/2011)
- 3.
A closed prison is maximum security holding category A, restricted status, closed conditions and remand prisoners.
- 4.
An open prison is a minimum-security prison where women can undertake outside work and are trusted with minimal supervision.
- 5.
A Prison Service Order (PSO) or Prison Service Instruction (PSI) is guidance on how prison services are regulated.
- 6.
‘On the outside’ is a phrase used to describe being away from or not inside an institution such as a prison.
- 7.
The current spend on food per prisoner per day in England is £2.02 (MoJ, 2015, Freedom of Information request from Prison Reform Trust).
- 8.
Gaviscon is a liquid medication available to buy over the counter for the relief of heartburn.
- 9.
Anti-hypertensive medication reduces blood pressure.
- 10.
Pre-eclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication characterised by high blood pressure and fluid retention which, if untreated, can lead to eclamptic fits and cerebral vascular accident (stroke).
- 11.
ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork) is a series of documents opened in response to concern that a prisoner is at risk of self-harm or suicide.
- 12.
Lactation is the secretion of milk from the breasts.
- 13.
Desistance is the termination of offending behaviour (Maruna et al. 2012).
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Abbot, L. (2021). Pregnancy in Prison. In: Maycock, M., Meek, R., Woodall, J. (eds) Issues and Innovations in Prison Health Research. Palgrave Studies in Prisons and Penology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46401-1_12
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