Arizona inducing the labor of pregnant prisoners against their will

[Nevilledog]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/01/02/arizona-inducing-labor-of-pregnant-prisoners-against-their-will/69768038007/

No paywall
https://archive.ph/qG3V5

The Arizona Department of Corrections is inducing the labor of pregnant prisoners against their will, according to three women currently incarcerated at the Perryville prison in Buckeye, Arizona.
The women say they were forced to have their labor induced, despite wanting to have a spontaneous birth.

Medical records reviewed by The Arizona Republic show all three women were induced before their due dates. The women consented to have their medical information released. Stephanie Pearson and Desiree Romero had their labor induced at 39 weeks gestation in 2022. Jocelyn Heffner was induced in the 37th week of gestation on two separate occasions during separate incarcerations in 2020 and 2022.

Research has shown that labor can be induced safely at 39 weeks if it is an elective procedure, and health care experts say labor can safely be induced before 39 weeks if there is a medical reason to do so.

But all three women said they were told by prison medical providers they were being induced because it was a policy of the Arizona Department of Corrections for all pregnant incarcerated women, not due to their individual conditions. The women say they were given no explanation for the policy, but they believe it is being implemented to reduce liability for the prison system.

*snip*

[Tree-Hugger]

1. It increases risk of complications

Induction raises the risk of complications and it increases the chance of needing a c-section. Much like the rest of the US maternal system, I doubt anyone within prisons gives a single shit about the well-being of women and their babies.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Carceration is violence. K&R.

[crickets]

3. Disgusting. This treats women like animals rather than human beings. nt

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. Kicking.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

5. Adding insult to injury, two of the women said they were receiving medical bills for the services pr

Adding insult to injury, two of the women said they were receiving medical bills for the services provided during their labor — despite the Department of Corrections and its contractors’ bearing the financial responsibility — a common complaint voiced by people incarcerated in Arizona prisons.

[Solly Mack]

6. K&R