Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Human Rights Subcommittee, revealed recently that an investigation of the nation’s prison system has uncovered pervasive abuse of pregnant women in prison, including women who were forced to undergo C-sections against their will, pregnant women who were shackled around their stomachs (despite the practice being widely illegal already), and women who gave birth unassisted while imprisoned.
Jessica “Drew” Umberger, who was incarcerated while pregnant at Georgia’s Helms facility in Atlanta, was among those testifying before a recent hearing by the committee. Umberger said that she was required, despite her wishes, to undergo a c-section, faced medical complications after the procedure, and then was kept in solitary confinement for 3 weeks after giving birth, without access to basic supplies.
Umberger said her troubles didn’t end after she gave birth. After being transferred to Lee Arrendale State Prison in Habersham County, she said she was held in solitary confinement for three weeks after complaining that her cell was unsanitary.
She said she received no medical support while she was in solitary, and her C-section wound became infected.
“I didn’t think I would make it out of there alive,” she said.
You can read the full report on the hearing here as provided by Ossoff’s office:
Asked to comment on the testimony of Umberger and the others, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), Lori Benoit, said in an email “While we won’t be commenting on the hearing specifically, we would like to provide information related to steps GDC takes for our pregnant offenders.”
Benoit included this list:
-Created policies and procedures that focus on the health and welfare of pregnant offenders
– The GDC has historically maintained an established written procedure that forbids the use of restraints on pregnant offenders. The only exception is in absolute extreme cases where there is imminent risk of escape, harm to the offender or harm to the unborn fetus. Even in these cases, only wrist restraints are used.
– All Pregnant Offenders are offered weekly prenatal classes throughout their pregnancy.
– Any identified High Risk Pregnancies are followed closely throughout the pregnancy by outside providers.
-Facility provides onsite 24 hour medical.
-Helm’s Facility has a dedicated OB/GYN who provides care throughout the mother’s pregnancy and follows her care throughout her postpartum period
-Created a dedicated Unit for Pregnant Offenders which provides Doulas through the Emory School of Nursing
– The Doula Program walks with our pregnant women from Pregnancy throughout their postpartum period.
-All postpartum offenders are carried on the Mental Health (MH) case load throughout to ensure wrap around MH services are provided throughout their postpartum timeframes.
-Created a Post-Partum Unit to focus on specific medical and mental health needs of offenders whom have just given birth.
– Care of the newborn is decided by the mother and her family.
– A postpartum support group is offered to women at Lee Arrendale State Prison
-Required all staff working with female offenders to complete Gender Responsive Trauma Informed Training.
-Researching ways to provide a Breastfeeding Service to the Postpartum Unit.
-Exploring Yoga programs
Policies related to Women’s Health Services are located here https://gdc.georgia.gov/organization/about-gdc/agency-activity/policies-and-procedures/50704-policy-ph-inmate-physical
For information related to birth and postpartum care see the GDC Journal: Women’s Services: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FZLWL4Ouuc