As the Independent Sentencing Review published its initial findings last week and the government’s newly appointed Women’s Justice Board begins work, to reduce the number of women sent to prison, calls are growing to end the imprisonment of pregnant women.
Amelia, who asked to remain anonymous, was 16 weeks pregnant when she entered prison and was later diagnosed by the prison midwife with gestational diabetes.
Pregnant women in prison are seven times more likely to have a stillbirth and twice as likely to go into premature labour, according to data from FoI requests in 2022.
Pregnant women in prison in England are three times more likely to be diagnosed with gestational diabetes than those on the outside, according to “alarming” new data.
There were 215 pregnant women in prison in England between April 2023 and March 2024, according to figures published by the Ministry of Justice.
