Healthcare Needs of Incarcerated Pregnant and Postpartum Women: Implications for Just Nursing Practice

Women remain the primary caregivers for children, making the imprisonment of women and mothers potentially more complicated for families. Women in the prison system often have significant health problems and lack access to care even before incarceration. While women constitute a minority in the prison system, they have gender-specific needs, often related to pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Often, prisons are not equipped to provide appropriate care, and many state policies vary concerning the healthcare needs of incarcerated pregnant and postpartum women. This article offers an overview of current issues in reproductive healthcare for this vulnerable population by providing a brief background on the topic and exploring how nurses can become their advocates. A review of selected literature describes current relevant research, followed by viewpoints from various healthcare organizations. Recommendations include prison programs and services targeted to pregnant and postpartum women, such as birth doulas and prison nurseries, which are known to benefit this population. Nurses can advocate for this unique population by using a trauma-informed framework of care and participating in legislative efforts to support pregnant and postpartum women who are incarcerated.