Reproductive justice for incarcerated mothers and advocacy for their infants and young children

TLDR

The United States has experienced unprecedented growth in incarcerated women, most of whom are mothers, raising public health concerns about their reproductive health and the well‑being of their infants and young children. This article applies a reproductive justice framework to examine how incarceration intersects with maternal and child health. The authors conduct a comprehensive review of existing research on the reproductive health of incarcerated women, the characteristics and experiences of pregnant inmates, the outcomes for their infants and young children, and the implications for policy and practice, highlighting the need for increased research, public education, and advocacy. They recommend that correctional policies and practices be revised to address misconceptions, biases, and the unique vulnerabilities and health needs of incarcerated women and their young children.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The United States has seen unprecedented growth in the number of incarcerated women, most of whom are mothers with minor children. Major public health concerns relate to the reproductive health of women in prisons and jails and the well‐being of their infants and young children. In the current article, we use a reproductive justice framework to examine the intersection of incarceration and maternal and child health. We review (a) current research on the reproductive health of incarcerated women, (b) characteristics and experiences of pregnant incarcerated women, (c) outcomes of infants and young children with incarcerated parents, (d) implications of research findings for policy and practice, and (e) the need for increased research, public education, and advocacy. We strongly recommend that correctional policies and practices be updated to address the common misconceptions and biases as well as the unique vulnerabilities and health needs of incarcerated women and their young children.