Donate/Get Involved
Overview of Motherhood and Pregnancy in Prison
It is often overlooked that a majority of women in prison are there for non-violent crimes. Money-related demeanors make up a large portion of female prisoners’ crimes because 60% of women in prison are mothers to children under the age of 18 and need money in order to provide for their family. Most of these women are the primary caregivers of their children. Once a mother goes to prison, scheduling time to meet with children through phone calls is expensive and seeing them in person is very sporadic. This does not make it easy to maintain a parent-child relationship, and separation from family is very damaging to a human’s mental health. Furthermore, 5% of women give birth in prison. This process is very uncomfortable, especially in a prison setting, and yet, 18 states still allow some form of shackling during pregnancy and labor. Shackling is the practice of putting physical restraints, such as ankle and wrist cuffs, on a person. This is very horrific and traumatizing for a mother, as it restricts a woman's body when it is going through a very painful event.
Donation Pages
Advocacy and Research on the Reproductive Wellness of Incarcerated People (John Hopkins School of Medicine)
Link: https://arrwip.org/about/
Mission Statement: "To champion the reproductive wellbeing of incarcerated women and to create a world where they can thrive in their communities."
"The ARRWIP team situates our work at the intersections of reproductive health, reproductive justice, and mass incarceration in the US. We conduct research that addresses reproductive health care issues for people experiencing incarceration. Working with key stakeholders, including directly impacted people and policy makers, we aim for our research to contribute to meaningful change in recognizing the full humanity and value of incarcerated people’s reproductive lives."
Learn about reproductive healthcare in the prison system and donate to ARRWIP
Women's Prison Association
Link: https://www.wpaonline.org/
About: "WPA empowers women to redefine their lives in the face of injustice and incarceration. Together, we forge pathways toward freedom, safety, and independence."
ACLU/ ACLU Illinois
Links:
- https://www.aclu.org/issues/prisoners-rights/women-prison/pregnant-women-prison
- https://www.aclu-il.org/en/know-your-rights/reproductive-rights-while-incarcerated
Learn about the rights of pregnant prisoners in the U.S. and Illinois and opt-in to get email alerts about the laws that protect incarcerated pregnant people and mothers. In addition to this, contact acluofillinois@aclu-il.org if your reproductive rights have been violated in prison.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Link: https://www.acog.org/advocacy/policy-priorities/health-care-for-incarcerated-women
"ACOG advocates for access to high-quality, comprehensive care, limits on the use of restraints on pregnant and postpartum individuals, and humane treatment of those in immigration detention facilities."