🔗 Share this article Shackled, Solitary and Frightened: The Grim Reality for Female Inmates Compelled to Deliver in Incarceration. A rights defender, while she was, was detained near her home in March 2024. Accused with a broad allegation, she was held without evidence. Three weeks later, her relatives received a call to collect the body of her infant child. The reason of death remains unexamined, and the family remains unaware the circumstances or if she was given any postnatal care. A Global Problem These tragic stories are alarmingly common within correctional systems around the world. Women carrying children are often kept in deplorable conditions and denied proper healthcare. Some miscarry, others deliver and give birth alone in a prison cell. Tragically, some babies perish behind bars. "Nations believe it’s a minority of women so it’s not a problem, but that is incorrect," says a legal advocate dedicated to women's incarceration. "Prison is a terrible environment for women, let alone someone who is pregnant," she explains. "Extensive studies that shows how detrimental it is. Numerous facilities were constructed with men in mind, so women were an secondary consideration." Flouted Global Standards Over 15 years since the creation of international guidelines for the treatment of female prisoners. These rules state that incarceration should be a final option for expectant mothers and that alternatives to detention should always be considered. They also forbid the use of restraints on women during labour. Yet, these rules are consistently flouted globally. "This is not considered a global priority for women's rights," argues the expert. "It’s not visible, and there’s a lot of stigma and prejudice." Severe Hardships in Overcrowded Systems In various regions, situations for expectant inmates are described as "really critical". Family visits have been banned, and civil society are denied access. Accounts with formerly incarcerated women detail assaults, torture, and being denied basic supplies. Reports indicate some are forced into trading sex with guards for nourishment or medicine. "We has recorded miscarriages and the loss of several infants … it is certain there are more," says a local lawyer. It is also reported women who were chained to medical beds during labour and gave birth while watched by male prison guards. Overcrowding and Its Consequences Statistics lists some nations as having the highest overcrowding levels in the globe. Women are particularly vulnerable to these situations. "There is rarely enough space to lie down properly," explains a human rights outreach director. "There is a chronic lack of access to essentials." Pregnant prisoners have been handcuffed to beds before giving birth. Conditions for raising a newborn back in prison are worrying, as evidenced by reports of babies dying from illness and severe malnutrition in custody. Accounts from Different Continents In Zambia, a former inmate recalls being in a cell with expectant mothers. Cell doors were locked overnight. If a woman went into labour at night, the women were left to manage on their own. "We would be pleading. Others were praying. Others were banging on the ground and the doors, yelling: ‘Please come, somebody’s in labour!’" Such events occur in wealthier nations. In one case, a teenager lost her daughter after delivering unassisted in a prison cell. Her calls for help were ignored for an extended period, and she was had to sever the cord on her own. Turning Trauma into Change A number of survivors have decided to use their experiences to advocate. In the United States, a woman who miscarried in her prison cell founded an organisation. Her work has successfully pushed for laws that prohibit shackling and isolation for pregnant inmates in multiple states. A separate account comes from South America. A woman learned of her pregnancy shortly after being given a prison term. When it came time to give birth, guards shackled her legs to the hospital bed. Doctors performed a caesarean section. As she recovered, they offered to sterilize her. "Why would you want to have more children, if you’re a prisoner?" was the response. "My ordeal was obstetric violence. It should not have occurred, but this is what women in prison go through," she stated. Her experiences later shaped provincial policies around childbirth in detention. Potential Reforms Some nations have implemented policies regarding expectant mothers in the justice system. Among them are: Considering non-custodial options for accused women who are mothers, expecting, or breastfeeding. Introducing home detention as an alternative to being held before trial, particularly for expectant mothers. Allowing for the postponement of sentences for women who are pregnant. Advocates and people with experience believe that, often, pregnant women ought not to be in prison at all. "I question whether women should be criminalised for numerous offenses in the beginning," says the advocate. "Community-based solutions that address the root causes of women coming into contact with the justice system – for example, destitution, violence and drugs – are really what we should be investing in."