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Abstract: 

A new report sheds light on pregnant people behind bars, but misses their lived experience. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) recently released the first national data on pregnancy in U.S. state and federal prisons, documenting 727 pregnancies in 2023, with 91% resulting in live births. While most jurisdictions reported offering key maternal services, the study did not track maternal or infant mortality and excluded local jails and private prisons. The BJS findings are contradicted by earlier research and raise concerns about the gap between official reports and lived experiences. Accounts from incarcerated women highlight barriers to care, untrained correctional staff, and instances of neglect, underscoring the need for better data and oversight.

Keywords: Pregnancy in Prisons; Maternal Health; Bureau of Justice Statistics; Incarcerated Women; Reproductive Care

Affiliations:  1: The Marshall Project.