Expanding Knowledge About and Evaluating Services for Incarcerated Pregnant and Postpartum Women in Arkansas

University of Arkansas

Status: Completed

Conditions: Emotional Stress; Health Problems in Pregnancy; Quality of Life; Parent-Child Relations; Health Risk Behaviors; Health Care Acceptability; Childbirth Problems; Maternal Care Patterns

Treatments: Behavioral: Childbirth support

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04421235

260265

UL1TR003107 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The number of women who are incarcerated in the U.S. has increased dramatically over the past 20 years-over 750%, or from 13,258 in 1980 to 111,616 in 2016. Arkansas incarcerates 92 women per 100,000 population compared to 57 per 100,000 average across all states, ranking the state as the 8th highest in the nation. Over 75% of incarcerated women are of childbearing age and about 4% are pregnant upon intake. However, little is known about the population of women who have become incarcerated while pregnant in Arkansas - including the outcomes of these women and their children and how these outcomes may vary in relation to services that are received during incarceration. This research study aims to first expand knowledge on incarcerated women in Arkansas by using administrative data to retrospectively examine the health status and outcomes of pregnant women who were incarcerated in state prison by Arkansas from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2019 (a five-year cohort; Aim 1). Then, we will lay the groundwork for and subsequently analyze data on outcomes and perspectives of women who have been incarcerated in Arkansas while pregnant (Aims 2 and 3). We will also seek to understand the feasibility and acceptability of elements of an enhanced support program for incarcerated pregnant women recently launched via a collaboration between Arkansas Department of Corrections and UAMS.

Enrollment: 10 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Women incarcerated in Arkansas state prison system
• 18 years or older
• Able to give informed consent
• Pregnant or has given birth in past year

Exclusion criteria

• Under 18 years of age

Trial design

10 participants in 1 patient group

Childbirth Support

Description:

Women who enroll in the intervention portion of this study will receive the childbirth support elements for which they are eligible in and elect to participate. Possible program elements include prenatal education classes, support group, lactation program, doula support, and parenting classes.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Childbirth support