Justice, Motherhood and Midwifery Care

Motherhood and pregnancy in prison remainsan under-examined area of reproductive justice.Globally, incarcerated women experienceprofound inequities in maternity care, oftenfacing organisational violence, stigma andsystemic disregard. Drawing from my researchon the Lost Mothers project and women’sexperiences of pregnancy in prison, this articleexplores the intersection of justice, motherhoodand midwifery care. By situating incarceratedpregnancy in both Australian and UK contexts,alongside recent legislative developments, Iargue for a midwifery practice rooted in dignity,rights and advocacy. Midwives play a vital role inshaping compassionate, equitable and trauma informedmaternity care for women in prisonand, importantly, in the vulnerable transitionback to community.