As we prepare for next week’s regional forum on perinatal care for people who are incarcerated, we want to remind you of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)’s position statement from January of this year, Pregnant and Postpartum People Who Are Incarcerated During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ACOG recommends the following for people who are pregnant while incarcerated:

• Keeping pregnant people out of custody by avoiding arrest and confinement in favor of community-based alternatives and early return to the community.

• If a pregnant individual enters custody, ensure safe transition upon release.
  Implement measures for social distancing and other practices as outlined by the CDC.

• Hospitals and health systems should develop care plans to ensure perinatal patients are treated with dignity and respect and retain the ability to exercise their rights.

• Institutions of incarceration must ensure that pregnant people have access to comprehensive evidence-based health care.
• Institutions of incarceration must not use solitary confinement or other punitive restrictive housing arrangements for COVID-19 quarantine or medical isolation purposes.

• Telehealth services can mitigate the need for offsite travel to routine appointments and can facilitate access to prenatal care.

Keep these recommendations in mind next week during the forum, as every Wisconsin county has different policies regarding incarceration.

Not registered for the forum yet? There’s still time! Register here