Rise in number of women giving birth behind bars last year, says report

There were 26 women who were pregnant in custody last year, while five babies were born during their mother’s incarceration, new figures have shown.The Irish Prison Service said expectant mothers in custody gave birth in a hospital and were later facilitated in two separate mother and baby units in Limerick Prison and the Dochas Centre in Dublin.There was also an increase in the number of women giving birth behind bars in 2024, the figures show, after no babies were born in custody in 2023.There were 12 women pregnant in custody in 2023, including 10 in the Dochas Centre in Dublin and two in Limerick Prison. In 2024, there were 26 women who were pregnant behind bars, including 22 in the Dochas Centre in Dublin and four in Limerick Prison. In 2023 no women gave birth while in custody. Last year five babies were born in custody, four in the Dochas Centre and one in Limerick Prison. The Irish Prison Service said: “Expectant mothers are always facilitated to have their children born in hospital”.Provisions for pregnancies in prison A spokesperson also told the Irish Examiner that all pregnant women in prison receive the same services as expectant mothers in the community.They added: “Pregnant women in the custody of the Prison Service receive all of their antenatal care and education through the services of the local HSE Maternity hospital. Access to antenatal care is provided on a par with expectant mothers who live in the community”.Those who have specific needs during their pregnancies receive specialist HSE services where they “have a very close and responsive working relationship with both prison management and the prison healthcare team”.Most women receive all their antenatal care external to the prison in routine antenatal clinics in the local maternity hospital. In cases of emergencies specialist midwives will attend the prison: “However, this is not normally required” a spokesperson said.When a woman gives birth behind bars, they are relocated to single room accommodation in the mother and baby units in both female prisons.  Rule 17 of the Prison Rules 2007 makes provision for a child to remain in the care of their mother in prison, until the child has reached 12 months of age. After that, arrangements are made for the child to be taken into the care of family, friends or the State – each case is dealt with separately.In 2023, the construction of a new prison facility to provide accommodation for 56 female prisoners in Limerick Prison was completed.According to the Irish Prison Service, this new prison offers "state-of-the-art facilitates" to care for pregnant prisoners and provides a number of areas where the care of mothers and babies can be facilitated in a safe manner.

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