Varying Policies and Practices Limit Incarcerated Women’s Access to Abortion Care
Access to abortion care for incarcerated women varies widely, according to a new study published in this month’s Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Incarcerated women wishing to terminate a pregnancy face numerous challenges; among them are facilities’ ad hoc responses to abortion requests, difficulties in making transportation or financial arrangements, and the requirement of obtaining a
court order.
In a survey of health professionals who provide clinical care in correctional facilities, 68% of respondents indicated that inmates at their facilities can obtain elective abortions; however, only 54% said that their facilities help to arrange appointments.
Additionally, the study found that facilities in states with a Republican-dominated
legislature or with a Medicaid policy that restricts abortion were more likely to have limited access to abortion care than were those whose state had a predominantly Democratic legislature or a Medicaid program that covered all or most medically necessary abortions. The authors suggest that the correctional health system should strive to consistently provide quality, comprehensive medical care to all inmates.
Labels: access, incarcerated women, prison
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