Evidence-based recommendations to improve reproductive healthcare for incarcerated women

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe standards for evidence-based reproductive healthcare for incarcerated women. Design/methodology/approach The literature on reproductive healthcare in the US criminal justice system and recommendations from professional organizations were reviewed and critical areas of concern were identified. Within these areas, studies and expert opinion were synthesized and policy recommendations were formulated through an iterative process of group discussion and document revision. This brief specifically addresses women's incarceration in the USA, but the recommendations are grounded in a human rights framework with global relevance. Findings Women who are incarcerated have health needs that are distinct from those of men, and there is a clear need for gender-responsive reproductive healthcare within the criminal justice system. This brief identifies five core domains of reproductive healthcare: routine screening, menstruation-related concerns, prenatal and postpartum care, contraception and abortion, and sexually transmitted infections. The recommendations emphasize the continuity between the criminal justice system and the community, as well as the dignity and self-determination of incarcerated women. Originality/value This brief provides a unique synthesis of the available evidence with concrete recommendations for improving the reproductive healthcare for incarcerated women.

A human rights assessment of menopausal women's access to age- and gender-sensitive nondiscriminatory health care in prison

“…22 Women's experiences of menopausal symptoms were observed to be particularly uncomfortable within detention spaces. 34,38,40 Menopausal sequelae are all typically exacerbated by prison conditions (and by a lack of health support). 33,41 Common symptoms requiring both medical and general health-related supports in prisons included insomnia, hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal bleeding, urinary incontinence, lower bone density, fatigue, and mood changes.…”

“…Complexities of menopause and comorbid health of women living in detention settings are ill considered (psychiatric illness, drug dependence, prior trauma) 37 . Global reviews/opinion pieces observed the lack of life-course appropriate information, mental health supports, and pharmacological and lifestyle interventions for detained menopausal women, and underscored the need for effective personalized management of menopause in prison 33,38 . Critical prison failures center on the lack of medicines, and denial of and lack of access to free age- and gender-specific care equivalent to that in the community and to lifestyle interventions, causing considerable distress (contra Bangkok Rules 6, 8, 10, 16).…”

Infecciones de transmisión sexual en mujeres en situación de privación de la libertad de un establecimiento penitenciario en Mérida, Venezuela

“…Se recomienda que se ofrezca a todas las mujeres encarceladas programas integrales de tratamiento y prevención de ITS, y las mujeres encarceladas se hacen eco de esta necesidad. Se ha demostrado que los programas que enfatizan la educación sobre ITS, combinada con la capacitación de habilidades, la vivienda y el empleo disminuyen el comportamiento de riesgo para estas infecciones (30).…”

Romantic attachment, childhood stability, depression, and PTSD in couples with an incarcerated partner

“…Additionally, there were no incarcerated women included in this study. Incarcerated women have their own unique challenges such as, consistent access to a full spectrum of women's healthcare, higher rates of PTSD than men, and complexities in reporting sexual misconduct by prison staff [8,93,94]. Women are more likely to have lived with minor children up to the point of arrest than men, and more incarcerated women report being mothers than incarcerated men report being fathers [95].…”