As the world watches, the female prison population continues to increase at alarming rates. This is particularly true in the United States, where it is estimated that the female incarceration rate is growing twice as quickly as the male incarceration rate (via Equal Justice Initiative). For the more than 741,000 women and girls behind bars across the world, unfathomable obstacles loom heavily (via The Guardian).

Female convicts, the bulk of whom are nonviolent offenders, face a myriad of unique tribulations, ranging from harsher disciplinary actions to rampant sexual assault and just about everything in between (via a 2017 article by Alyxaundria Sanford, posted at Medium). In fact, a shocking 67% of female inmates report being sexually assaulted by staff members. As a result, NPR reports, approximately 753 live births happen annually behind bars, and many of the expecting mothers will be in chains when they deliver their babies. Whether they were mothers prior to conviction or became mothers while incarcerated, being a mom in prison is a bittersweet scenario.

Imagine enduring a petrifying pregnancy, one where you were likely denied the right to a single post-natal exam (via Prison Policy). Imagine going into labor while chained to a hospital bed, having no idea of what to expect in terms of whether or not the baby is healthy, positioned correctly, or even alive.

Incarcerated mothers are tragically separated from their children

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