Kelsey C M, Medel Nickole, Mullins Carson, Dallaire Danielle, Forestell Catherine
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA.
Department of Psychology, The College of William and Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA.
Matern Child Health J. 2017 Jun;21(6):1260-1266. doi: 10.1007/s10995-016-2224-5.
The number of incarcerated women in the United States has been steadily increasing over the last 30 years. An estimated 6-10% of these women are pregnant at intake. Previous studies on the health needs and care of pregnant incarcerated women have focused mainly on prison settings. Therefore, we examined the pregnancy-related accommodations and health care provided for regional jail populations.
The present study is a quantitative survey (administered through phone or email to employees of predominately jail medical facilities) of common practices and policies employed across 53 jail facilities in the United States as a function of geographic region (North vs. South; West vs. Central vs. East). We examined provision of pregnancy screening, special diets, and drug rehabilitation and prohibition of shackling.
Strikingly, across all aspects of the care of pregnant incarcerated women there are areas to be improved upon. Notably, only 37.7% of facilities pregnancy test all women upon entry, 45.7% put opioid addicted women through withdrawal protocol, and 56.7% of facilities use restraints on women hours after having a baby.
In this first study to examine practices in regional jails nationwide, we found evidence that standards of care guidelines to improve health and well-being of pregnant incarcerated women, set by agencies such as American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, are not being followed in many facilities. Because not following these guidelines could pose major health risks to the mother and developing fetus, better policies, better enforcement of policies, and better common practices are needed to improve the health and welfare of pregnant incarcerated women.
在过去30年里，美国被监禁女性的数量一直在稳步增加。据估计，这些女性中有6% - 10%在入狱时已怀孕。此前关于怀孕被监禁女性的健康需求和护理的研究主要集中在监狱环境。因此，我们调查了为地区监狱服刑人员提供的与怀孕相关的便利设施和医疗保健情况。
本研究是一项定量调查（通过电话或电子邮件向主要是监狱医疗设施的员工进行），调查了美国53个监狱设施根据地理区域（北部与南部；西部与中部与东部）所采用的常见做法和政策。我们调查了怀孕筛查、特殊饮食、戒毒康复以及禁止使用镣铐的情况。
令人惊讶的是，在怀孕被监禁女性护理的各个方面都有需要改进的地方。值得注意的是，只有37.7%的设施在女性入狱时对所有人进行妊娠测试，45.7%的设施让阿片类药物成瘾的女性接受戒毒程序，56.7%的设施在女性产后数小时仍对其使用约束措施。
在这项首次对全国范围内地区监狱做法进行调查的研究中，我们发现有证据表明，许多设施并未遵循美国妇产科医师学会等机构制定的改善怀孕被监禁女性健康和福祉的护理标准指南。由于不遵循这些指南可能会给母亲和发育中的胎儿带来重大健康风险，因此需要更好的政策、更好地执行政策以及更好的常见做法来改善怀孕被监禁女性的健康和福利。
