Two babies have recently died in women's prisons when their mothers gave birth without medical assistance, prompting renewed calls for reform. One woman in HMP Styal gave birth in the prison toilets, and another in HMP Bronzefield gave birth alone in her cell at night. Campaigners argue that prison can never be a safe place for pregnancy, yet the government continues to send pregnant women to prison.
Anna Harley, who gave birth while on remand at an unnamed prison, described the traumatic experience. When she went into labour at 5:30am, she pressed her cell buzzer repeatedly but was not unlocked until 7:30am, the standard time for all inmates. She then waited another two hours for a nurse to confirm she was in labour. 'My baby was on the way and nobody saw it as urgent,' she said.
Despite prison policy stating women should not be handcuffed while in labour, Harley was cuffed to an officer during the ambulance journey. 'I was told to be grateful I was in long cuffs and not short ones,' she recalled. In the hospital, two prison guards sat in the delivery bay as she gave birth, and a doctor eventually called her mother after Harley's requests were ignored.
Within 24 hours of giving birth, Harley and her newborn were locked in a cell in the mother and baby unit. She received no information about what would happen next. 'My baby’s first few days of life shouldn’t have been like this. Guilt overtook me, and it’s a feeling that I still cannot shake to this day,' she said. Her mental health deteriorated, and she was released on bail after a week.
One in ten of the 56 prisoners who give birth during their sentences do so in prison or on the way to hospital, according to campaigners. Harley is now part of a campaign calling for an end to imprisoning pregnant women, arguing that the trauma is long-lasting for both mother and child.
