People in prison are the only group in the United States with a constitutional right to medical care. ... In practice, however, securing needed medical care can be daunting, as numerous lawsuits and investigations attest. Women encounter multiple barriers to care - from co-payments they can ill afford to having to convince a guard that they need to see a doctor. Gynecological and obstetric care is often woefully inadequate. In a nationally representative government study, 20 percent of pregnant women in prison reported getting no prenatal care, and 50 percent of pregnant women in jails went without care.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Moms in the Military and in Prison
Interesting blog posts this week; Angela White updates us on U.S. Military Rules for Breastfeeding Mothers at Breastfeeding 123. And Rachel Roth of RH Reality Check asks, "What Do Prisons Have to Do with Reproductive Rights?":
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3 comments:
It's amazing how the county jails handle the challenges of pregnant inmates. Many times they simply ask the prosecutor to cut a quick deal to get them out of the jail, altogether. Most of the time, though, the women only get care when they are in some type of crisis. Neither a workable solution.
sg
Not to mention the fact that there are many states that want women to give birth shackled (where are they going while they're in the final misery of labor, anyway?) Talk about inhumane.
Stephen - that's nice to know. I wish there was more of an effort to delay jailtime or find alternatives to incarceration for pregnant & breastfeeding women.
Hot Mama - I have blogged several times about the shackling of pregnant inmates; if you click on the label "Female Inmates" on the sidebar you will get to them. I'll add you to my blogroll.
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