Calls for independent investigation into use of restraints on pregnant women in prison custody

We are all deeply concerned by the report on Channel 4 News tonight (19 February 2025), in which a woman shared her experience of being put in restraints during labour, while she was held in prison custody.  

The policy from HM Prison and Probation Service and the Ministry of Justice is clear; women should not be placed in restraints during medical appointments while pregnant, in labour, or postnatally, unless there is clear justification for doing so. The account of the woman in this case is deeply distressing, and we support the calls for an independent investigation.

Birth Companions has campaigned for decades for an end to the imprisonment of pregnant women and mothers of babies. There is a significant body of evidence that shows prison is not, and never will be, a safe or appropriate place in which to navigate pregnancy or early motherhood. The vast majority of women are better supported through community-based alternatives to custody, which allow them to give their babies the best possible start in life, with equitable access to healthcare, and the help of their wider networks and a holistic range of services.

For further information or comment, contact Kirsty Kitchen at [email protected] or on 07792779742.

Birth Companions is the leading charity specialising in the needs and experiences of women who have contact with the criminal justice system during pregnancy and early motherhood. www.birthcompanions.org.uk