Pregnancy Prevalence and Outcomes in U.S. Jails

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe the number of admissions of pregnant people to U.S. jails and the outcomes of pregnancies that end in custody. METHODS: We prospectively collected pregnancy data from six U.S. jails, including the five largest jails, on a monthly basis for 12 months. Jails reported de-identified, aggregate numbers of pregnant people admitted, births, preterm births, cesarean deliveries, miscarriages, induced abortions, ectopic pregnancies, and maternal and newborn deaths. RESULTS: There were 1,622 admissions of pregnant people in 12 months in the selected jails. The highest 1-day count of pregnant people at a single jail was 65. The majority of these admissions involved the release of a pregnant person. Of the 224 pregnancies that ended in jail, 144 (64%) were live births, 41 (18%) were miscarriages, 33 (15%) were induced abortions, and four were ectopic (1.8%). One third of the births were cesarean deliveries and 8% were preterm. There were two stillbirths, one newborn death, and no maternal deaths. CONCLUSION: About 3% of admissions of females to U.S. jails are of pregnant people; extrapolating study results to national female jail admission rates suggests nearly 55,000 pregnancy admissions in 1 year. It is feasible to track pregnancy statistics about this overlooked group.

Improving Health Equity for Women Involved in the Criminal Legal System

“…Nearly 4,000 admissions of pregnant people to prisons and 55,000 to jails occur annually (Bronson & Sufrin, 2019;Sufrin et al, 2020a). Until 2019, there was limited systematic data reporting on incarcerated pregnant people and related outcomes, including births, miscarriages, and abortions.…”

Equitable Care for Pregnant Incarcerated Women: Infant Contact After Birth—A Human Right

“…[3][4][5] The most recent estimates show that more than 223,000 women are incarcerated in jails and prisons in the United States, and an estimated 3-4% of these women * are pregnant on entry. [5][6][7][8] Women' s imprisonment is fraught with disparities and dangerous health care inequities, refl ecting the structural racism and classism within a system that disproportionately aff ects people of color. In 2018, Black women were incarcerated at twice the rate of White women.…”

“…Overall, the total U.S. prison population has declined by 17% since 2009; however, this was driven by a decrease in male incarceration, while some states saw an increase in female incarceration 3–5 . The most recent estimates show that more than 223,000 women are incarcerated in jails and prisons in the United States, and an estimated 3–4% of these women * are pregnant on entry 5–8 …”

Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act of 2021: Reflections and recommendations

“…1 , 2 It’s estimated that there are nearly 58,000 admissions of pregnant people to jails and prisons each year—a number that only begins to reflect the ripple effect of mass incarceration on parents, children, and communities of harmful policies toward pregnant and parenting people. 3 , 4 The ballooning of the incarcerated population has disproportionately affected poor people and communities of color, especially Black individuals, whose imprisonment rates are five times that of white individuals. 2 Amid this racially-grounded expansion, women have been the fastest growing group, with a nearly 800% increase from 1978 to 2018.…”