Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Jan-Dec:20:17455057241228748.
doi: 10.1177/17455057241228748.

Mental health, chronic and infectious conditions among pregnant persons in US state prisons and local jails 2016-2017

Caitlin A Hendricks  1 , Karissa M Rajagopal  2   3 , Carolyn B Sufrin  4   5 , Camille Kramer  4 , Monik C Jiménez  6
Affiliations

Mental health, chronic and infectious conditions among pregnant persons in US state prisons and local jails 2016-2017

Caitlin A Hendricks et al. Womens Health (Lond). 2024 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Background: Pregnant individuals in incarcerated settings have unique healthcare needs. Rates of mental health, infectious diseases, and chronic disease are higher among nonpregnant incarcerated women compared with those who are not, but the prevalence of these conditions among pregnant people in custody has not been documented.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe the prevalence of metabolic, infectious, and mental health conditions in pregnant people to identify the medical needs of high-risk pregnancies in US state prisons and local jails.

Study design: This was a prospective epidemiologic surveillance of a convenience sample of state prisons (n = 20) and local jails (n = 3).

Methods: We used purposive and snowball sampling to recruit a national sample of prisons and jails of a range of sizes and geographies. Reporters submitted to our study database monthly data on selected pregnancy comorbidities for 6 months between 2016 and 2017. Screening, diagnosis, and tracking of these conditions are derived from each facility's medical record and health care delivery systems.

Results: Of the 445 newly admitted pregnant people in prisons and 243 in jails, the most prevalent conditions were mental health conditions and hepatitis C. Specifically, 34.1% (n = 152) in prison and 23.5% (n = 57) in jail had a substance use disorder, and 27.4% (n = 122) of those in prison and 17.7% (n = 43) in jail had a psychiatric diagnosis. Finally, 20.2% (n = 91) in prison and 6.6% (n = 16) in jail had hepatitis C.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that chronic medical and mental health conditions are prevalent among pregnant people in US prisons and jails. However, significant variability in the reported number of cases of these conditions from state to state and between facility types implies a lack of or inadequate screening practices. These data indicate the need for comprehensive screening and appropriate care for the complex needs of pregnant incarcerated people.

Keywords: chronic disease and incarceration; correctional health care; infectious disease and incarceration; mental health and incarceration; pregnancy and incarceration; reproductive health.

Plain language summary

Health care conditions among pregnant persons in US state prisons and local jails 2016–2017Background: Pregnant individuals in incarcerated settings have unique health care needs. Rates of mental health, infectious diseases, and chronic disease are higher among nonpregnant incarcerated women compared with those who are not, but the prevalence of these conditions among pregnant people in custody has not been documented.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe the prevalence of these conditions in pregnant people to identify the medical needs of high-risk pregnancies in US state prisons and local jails.

Study design: The study involved ongoing systematic data collection, analysis and interpretation of pregnancy data from a convenience sample of state prisons (n = 20) and local jails (n = 3).

Methods: We intentionally recruited a national sample of prisons and jails of a range of sizes and geographies that house pregnant individuals. Some study facilities were referred from others. Reporters submitted to our study database monthly data on selected pregnancy comorbidities for 6 months between 2016 and 2017. Screening, diagnosis, and tracking of these conditions derived from each facility’s medical record and health care delivery systems.

Results: Of the 445 newly admitted pregnant people in prisons and 243 in jails, the most prevalent conditions were mental health conditions and hepatitis C. Specifically, 34.1% (n = 152) in prison and 23.5% (n = 57) in jail had a substance use disorder and 27.4% (n = 122) of those in prison and 17.7% (n = 43) in jail had a psychiatric diagnosis. Finally, 20.2% (n = 91) in prison and 6.6% (n = 16) in jail had hepatitisc.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that chronic medical and mental health conditions are prevalent among pregnant people in US prisons and jails. However, significant variability in the reported number of cases of these conditions from state to state and between facility types implies a lack of or inadequate screening practices. These data indicate the need for comprehensive screening and appropriate care for the complex needs of pregnant incarcerated people.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Dr. Sufrin serves in a volunteer capacity on the board of directors for the National Commission on Correctional Health Care as the liaison for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr Jiménez was supported by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital H. Richard Nesson Fellowship. The other authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Gunja M, Seervai S, Zephyrin L, et al.. Health and Health Care for Women of Reproductive Age. The Commonwealth Fund, 2022, 10.26099/4pph-j894 - DOI
    1. Creanga AA. Maternal mortality in the United States: a review of contemporary data and their limitations. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2018; 61(2): 296–306. - PubMed
    1. Carson EA. Prisoners in 2020—statistical tables. NCJ 302776, US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2021, https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/p20st.pdf
    1. Sufrin C, Beal L, Clarke J, et al.. Pregnancy outcomes in US prisons, 2016–2017. Am J Public Health 2019; 109(5): 799–805. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Maruschak LM, Bronson J, Alper M. Medical problems reported by prisoners: survey of prison inmates, 2016. NCJ252644, US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2021, https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/medical-problems-reported-priso...