Pregnant prisoners
The last person Angela Bailey expected to help her during childbirth was her prison officer. 'I was feeling alone and Officer Ferguson asked if she could help. She was there for me,' says the 19-year-old.
Ten years ago and prison officers were more likely to shackle women in labour than offer them support. This dubious practise of handcuffing women in labour was abolished in 1996. Women's groups celebrated. But, a decade on, serious concerns remain about the treatment of pregnant...
more »The last person Angela Bailey expected to help her during childbirth was her prison officer. 'I was feeling alone and Officer Ferguson asked if she could help. She was there for me,' says the 19-year-old.
Ten years ago and prison officers were more likely to shackle women in labour than offer them support. This dubious practise of handcuffing women in labour was abolished in 1996. Women's groups celebrated. But, a decade on, serious concerns remain about the treatment of pregnant detainees.
A new report accuses the Prison Service of failing the majority of pregnant prisoners across the women's estate and of putting the health of unborn babies at risk.
'Overall things have probably got worse for pregnant inmates over the past ten years,' says Jenny North, author of Getting It Right, Services for Pregnant Women and Babies in Prison. 'Factors such as under-funding, overstretched staff, poor hygiene and diet are all leading to unsatisfactory care that could compromise the health of babies.'
No official figures are released on the number of pregnant women in prison but an estimated 600 inmates received antenatal care last year, with over 100 giving birth during their sentences.
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