The Benefits of Doula Support for Women Who Are Pregnant in Prison and Their Newborns

Shlafer, Rebecca J.; Davis, Laurel; Hindt, Lauren A.; Pendleton, Virginia

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-67599-8_3

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Our authorship team includes the founder and executive director (EG) and the research director (RS) for the Minnesota Prison Doula Project, which has provided group-based and one-on-one support to pregnant and postpartum people in Minnesota for more than a decade. We have demonstrated that doula support is feasible in this population 33,34 and preliminary evidence indicates that program participation is associated with positive outcomes, including high levels of participant satisfaction 35 and high rates of breastfeeding initiation. 36 The Minnesota Prison Doula Project has set a model for programs in states, including the Alabama Prison Birth Project.…”

Section: Reflections On the Proposed Legislationmentioning

confidence: 83%

Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act of 2021: Reflections and recommendations

Shlafer

Gerrity²,

Norris³

et al. 2022

Womens Health (Lond Engl)

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In the last five decades, the number of women behind bars in the United States has risen exponentially. It is now estimated that there are nearly 58,000 admissions of pregnant people—disproportionately women of color—to jails and prisons each year. Recognizing the urgency and consequences of mass incarceration on pregnant people, their families, and communities, House Resolution 948: Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act of 2021 was introduced to Congress as a part of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus. The Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act aims to improve health care and promote dignity for incarcerated pregnant and parenting people through an array of policies and oversight. In this article, we review and reflect on the components of this bill within their broader public health and reproductive justice contexts. We close with recommendations for policymakers and professionals committed to promoting equity and justice for pregnant and postpartum incarcerated people.

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Section: Reflections On the Proposed Legislationmentioning

confidence: 83%

Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act of 2021: Reflections and recommendations

Shlafer

Gerrity²,

Norris³

et al. 2022

Womens Health (Lond Engl)

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“…There is a small body of research examining the medical care and health outcomes of women who were incarcerated while pregnant (Baker, 2019;Bell et al, 2004;Carter Ramirez et al, 2020;Knight & Plugge, 2005a, b;Shlafer et al, 2021a;Steely Smith et al, 2024), including how incarceration history (Cordero et al, 1991;Egley et al, 1992;Hessami et al, 2022;Howard et al, 2009Howard et al, , 2011Kyei-Aboagye et al, 2000) and programming receipt (Bard et al, 2016;Shlafer et al, 2021a;Shlafer et al, 2021b) intersect with birth outcomes. However, research on the custodial and perinatal care patterns of women who become incarcerated while pregnant remains virtually non-existent.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Custodial and perinatal care patterns of women who received prenatal care while incarcerated in the Arkansas state prison system, 2014–2019

Zielinski,

Smith,

Stahman

2024

Health Justice

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Background The extraordinary growth in women’s incarceration over the past several decades has resulted in calls for expansion of research into their unique needs and experiences, including those related to pregnancy and perinatal care. However, while research into the health outcomes of women who are incarcerated while pregnant has grown, research on women’s custodial and perinatal care patterns has remained nearly non-existent. Here, we sought to describe (1) the characteristics of the population of women who came to be incarcerated in a state prison system during pregnancy and (2) the characteristics of women’s custodial and perinatal care patterns during and after incarceration. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of the population of women who received perinatal care while incarcerated in the Arkansas state prison system over a 5-year period from June 2014 to May 2019. Electronic medical records and state prison records were merged to form our study population. Data were from 212 women (Mage = 28.4 years; 75.0% non-Latina White) with a singleton pregnancy who received at least one obstetric care visit while incarcerated. Results Drug-related convictions were the most common crimes leading to women’s incarceration while pregnant, and violent crime convictions were rare. Nearly half (43.4%) of women who gave birth in custody did so within 90 days of admission and the great majority (80.4%) released within 1-year of giving birth, including 13.3% who released within 30 days. Discussion The frequency with which women who became incarcerated while pregnant released from prison either prior to or shortly after giving birth was a striking, novel finding of this study given the implications for perinatal care disruption among a high-risk population and the harms of forced separation from infants within hours of birth. Conclusions Diversionary programs for pregnant women convicted of crimes, particularly in states without current access, are urgently needed and should be a priority for future policy work.

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“…Providing continued support for the expectant mother and correct and appropriate information during labor and delivery result in the mother's comfort and tranquility and help her to identify the source of pain correctly and consider childbirth as a positive life event [6]. Several studies showed that mothers supported by doulas were happier and more satisfied with their childbirth experience [7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Explaining the Childbirth Experience with the Support of a Doula in an Iranian Setting: A Qualitative Study

Fard

Moghadam

rad

2023

JHNM

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ntroduction: An expectant mother’s experience of normal vaginal delivery significantly impacts her health. One of the determinants of a positive experience is to enjoy constant support during labor. Objective: This study was conducted to understand the mother’s childbirth experience with the support of a doula during labor and delivery. Materials and Methods: This research was a qualitative study with a content analysis approach. A total of 16 pregnant women that gave birth with the assistance of doulas in a hospital in Zanjan City, Iran, were included in this qualitative study with a content analysis approach. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants in 2019. The study data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with mothers, then transcribed and coded. All interviews were conducted in one session, so 16 interviews were obtained. Data analysis was done using the method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: The participants were 18-35 years old (27.5±6.7 years). Three women had a primary school education, 7 had a high school diploma, and 6 had a university education. Four women were employed, and the rest were homemakers. After data analysis, 4 main categories and 8 subcategories were extracted. Main categories and subcategories include comprehensive support (physical support, mental support), assisting in materializing the motherhood dream (inducing calm in the mother, being released from pain and suffering), internal reinforcement (self-esteem, pain acceptance), and mother-centered care (doula as a different supportive, bidirectional relationship). Conclusion: Pregnant mothers’ satisfaction with delivery is affected by their experience. According to the results, all mothers were satisfied with doula support during delivery. The doula’s presence made childbirth a positive and satisfactory experience. The doula guided mothers from fear, pain, and ignorance to happiness and satisfaction. It is necessary to familiarize expectant mothers with the doula and the services they provide and facilitate their presence in labor and delivery rooms.

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The Benefits of Doula Support for Women Who Are Pregnant in Prison and Their Newborns

Cited by 7 publications

References 29 publications

Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act of 2021: Reflections and recommendations

Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act of 2021: Reflections and recommendations

Custodial and perinatal care patterns of women who received prenatal care while incarcerated in the Arkansas state prison system, 2014–2019

Explaining the Childbirth Experience with the Support of a Doula in an Iranian Setting: A Qualitative Study

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