Leah Wang and Bianca Schindeler | July 1, 2025
Birth behind bars: Ten years of U.S. jail births covered in the news highlight horrific experiences and minimal data collection
For some of the thousands of pregnant people entering jails each year, at what might be their moment of greatest need — going into labor — jails turn a blind eye, harming mothers, newborns, and their families. The latest project from our partners at Advocacy and Research on Reproductive Wellness of Incarcerated People, or ARRWIP, illuminates these haunting stories and the dire need for data and education about pregnancy in jails.