Pregnancy, prison and perinatal outcomes in New South Wales, Australia: a retrospective cohort study using linked health data

Jane R Walker,Lisa Hilder,Elizabeth A Sullivan,Michael H Levy

doi:10.1186/1471-2393-14-214

Jane R Walker, Lisa Hilder + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-14-214

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Abstract

BackgroundStudies from the United States and the United Kingdom have found that imprisoned women are less likely to experience poorer maternal and perinatal outcomes than other disadvantaged women. This population-based study used both community controls and women with a history of incarceration as a control group, to investigate whether imprisoned pregnant women in New South Wales, Australia, have improved maternal and perinatal outcomes.MethodsRetrospective cohort study using probabilistic record linkage of routinely collected data from health and corrective services in New South Wales, Australia. Comparison of the maternal and perinatal outcomes of imprisoned pregnant women aged 18–44 years who gave birth between 2000–2006 with women who were (i) imprisoned at a time other than pregnancy, and (ii) community controls. Outcomes of interest: onset of labour, method of birth, pre-term birth, low birthweight, Apgar score, resuscitation, neonatal hospital admission, perinatal death.ResultsBabies born to women who were imprisoned during pregnancy were significantly more likely to be born pre-term, have low birthweight, and be admitted to hospital, compared with community controls. Pregnant prisoners did not have significantly better outcomes than other similarly disadvantaged women (those with a history of imprisonment who were not imprisoned during pregnancy).ConclusionsIn contrast to the published literature, we found no evidence that contact with prison health services during pregnancy was a “therapunitive” intervention. We found no association between imprisonment during pregnancy and improved perinatal outcomes for imprisoned women or their neonates. A history of imprisonment remained the strongest predictor of poor perinatal outcomes, reflecting the relative health disadvantage experienced by this population of women.

Highlights

Studies from the United States and the United Kingdom have found that imprisoned women are less likely to experience poorer maternal and perinatal outcomes than other disadvantaged women
On average, 3.6 years younger than community controls (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.8-4.3 years), but only 0.7 years younger than prison controls
Unlike previous studies [13], which found that imprisoned pregnant women had better perinatal outcomes than disadvantaged controls, our study found no evidence of any significant benefits for women or neonates

Summary

Introduction

Studies from the United States and the United Kingdom have found that imprisoned women are less likely to experience poorer maternal and perinatal outcomes than other disadvantaged women This population-based study used both community controls and women with a history of incarceration as a control group, to investigate whether imprisoned pregnant women in New South Wales, Australia, have improved maternal and perinatal outcomes. The NSW Inmate Health Survey is the only source of data on the birthing histories of female prisoners in the State. Whilst the figures are not directly comparable, these published data show that more than half (51%) of women in the NSW Inmate Health Survey with a history of childbirth gave birth before twenty years of age, whilst the proportion of pregnancies of at least 20 weeks duration in the NSW population which were to women aged less than twenty years was only 4% between 2002–2006 [6,7]

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