There has been much recent debate over the entirety of the birthing process - such as whether to use midwives or doctors, hospitals or home births. All of these decisions arise when a woman finds out she’s pregnant. Usually by the due date, there is a clear picture of what she wants and how it’s going to happen. Now we all know that things never go exactly according to plan, but at least there is a choice that can be made. But what if there wasn’t a choice? What if instead of weighing pros and cons of different options, you were in a place where you were left alone in a cell or brought to a hospital in chains, mid-labor? For pregnant women in the U.S. penitentiary system, this is the case.
In jails and prisons for women all over the country, there is always a certain amount of harassment or abuse. One would think that stopped with pregnant women, but in several prisons, the guards and overseers neglect to give pregnant prisoners regular check-ups, any prenatal care, or even a healthy diet. The most some women get is an extra bag of Fritos. Even when it’s time for the birth, women have to beg to be sent to the hospital. In Dubuque County Jail in Iowa, 19-year-old Terra K. had to scream and pound on the door just to ask for a nurse. When no one came, she ended up giving birth alone in her cell. Even when someone finally does pay attention, it may be too late. In general, health care in prisons is not stellar. It’s usually only in emergencies that guards will consider taking a prisoner to the hospital. In the Collier County Jail in Florida, Joan S. was near her due date and leaking amniotic fluid, so she asked for medical attention several times. After two weeks of this, she finally got an ultrasound and was informed that all of the amniotic fluid was gone and her baby’s skull had collapsed. Then she still wasn’t taken to the hospital for some time, which put her at risk for amniotic shock from the dead fetus inside her. Although these stories are extreme, such things happen all the time. Prisons don’t care for pregnant prisoners the way they should.
Aside from the time of incarceration, when it comes to actually having the baby, things don’t get much better. Although most of the time women are taken to a hospital, they are usually shackled during transport and again during labor. The cuffs are around the woman’s ankles severely limit her ability to move around. Generally, doctors tell women to move around during labor because it helps the labor progress and can sometimes ease the pain. The use of restraints causes a lot more pain that also lasts longer, and they are actually unnecessary since there are guards at the hospital while the prisoner is there. According to a New York Times article, Shawanna N. was in labor for 12 hours before she was brought to the hospital and was not given anything but Tylenol all day. According to her lawyer, she was shackled all through labor and only for the birth at the very end was she released. Amnesty USA says, “Shackling during labor may cause complications during delivery such as hemorrhage or decreased fetal heart rate. If a cesarean section is needed, a delay of even 5 minutes may result in permanent brain damage to the baby.” So basically, shackling prisoners during labor is not a good idea. However, the act is common in prisons throughout the country.
In conclusion, while the birthing process for women can be stressful, it’s nothing compared to how incarcerated women are treated. They are neglected and underfed and then shackled during labor. We often debate over whether hospitals or home births are safer, but not many people are aware of what imprisoned women go through during their births.
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2007/08/02/pregnant-behind-bars-the-prison-doula-project
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~kastor/ws-98/Shackled-Births.html
http://www.womenandprison.org/motherhood/view/pregnant_in_prison_and_denied_care/
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/02/national/02shackles.html
http://www.amnestyusa.org/women/womeninprison.html
childbirth can be one of the most difficult experiences any woman goes through - even in the most supportive of circumstances...
ReplyDeleteIF society has any intention of prison affecting rehabilitation - wouldn't it be in the woman's best interest to make that experience, at the very least - humane?
Your choice to focus on the mistreatment of pregnant women in prison was a very interesting and unique one.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is important to observe primarily because of how many people do not even think about it, as you stated in your project. Although it is hard for me to personally relate to it, your project was still important to me because my eyes were opened to a completely different area of pregnancy and birth that I had never even thought about myself.
I really liked the way you were able to include multiple real-world situations for a topic that was so specific and rarely spoken of. If you had been able to find more statistics, that would have made your point even more convincing. Good job!
I agree that giving birth is not a easy process for a women. Pregnant women in jail are not given close to what is required for a safe and successful birth.
ReplyDeleteThe stories you chose to incorporate are gruesome and almost hard to believe. Consider it cliche but people are people. it is inhumane to treat a person, in prison or not with such incivility. the stories you shared both throughout your paper and in your elevator speech were a good addition to further proving your point. it grasped the persons (me) attention, because it seemed so unreal.
I appreciate your research about such an unpublicized and overlooked topic.
In this piece you describe the lack of care pregnant women in jails receive due to neglect.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way you incorporated women's personal stories into your writing in order to create a much more vivid image.
This topic is extremely important, mainly due to the fact that so little light is shed upon it. People do not really think to consider the pregnant women in jail. While there is a reason for them being there (usually), it is no reason to treat their child badly. Many times in pregnancy fetus and mother are see as one entity, however in this case I believe it is best to view them as two separate beings.
Perhaps next time you could propose how you think this should be changed.
From you blog I started to think about. When people talk about birth it is just about home vs hospitals or dotcor vs midwife. But people don't think about people who don't have a choice, and I think that by doing work on this shows how you a thinking deeper.
ReplyDeleteAs for you writing you talking about things that I would not have thought about. Like the fact that they handcuff the women while giving birth which is not giving them to chance to move around and help have the baby. I think that you did a really god job.