In this episode, we explore pregnancy and birth in the justice system. What are the experiences of those who enter prison pregnant and are faced with giving birth inside? And what impact does imprisoning pregnant women have on their safety, and their baby’s?

To help us explore these questions, Edwina spoke to Dr Laura Abbott, a registered midwife and Associate Professor in Research at The University of Hertfordshire. Laura’s has extensively researched women’s experiences of pregnancy in criminal justice settings, and is currently working on the Lost Mothers Study Project which will explore how women and professionals involved with the criminal justice system, experience enforced separation of newborn babies.

In this episode, Laura shares more about her work and how her research is paving the way for policy changes to improve outcomes for pregnant women in the justice system.

Learn more about the Lost Mothers Project: https://lostmothers.org/

Explore Laura’s research: https://researchprofiles.herts.ac.uk/en/persons/laura-abbott/projects/

Find Laura on Twitter @midwifeteacher

Please note this episode contains discussion of traumatic births and infant mortality that some listeners may find upsetting

In our next episode, we will be continuing the exploration of pregnancy and birth in the justice system. We’ll be delving deeper into some of the data and hearing from Suzy*, who has lived experience of pregnancy in prison, and works with Laura on the Lost Mother’s Project team.

*Not her real name

Read more about the One Small Thing charity here.

Twitter - @OSTCharity

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