In the final article sharing talks of how midwives have impacted change through challenging practice, we turn to research. Professor Laura Abbott, University of Herts, shares her work on improving care for pregnant women and their babies in prisons, demonstrating there is more to be done. Following the video you have opportunity to think and reflect about these practices and consider how you would respond.
Research by midwives has developed exponentially over the past 40 years. Research is sometimes viewed as irrelevant or lacking impact. The example we share here is of a midwifery researcher who saw a situation, asked the right questions and is transforming care and policy as a result.
Dr. Laura Abbott is now Professor of Maternal Health and criminal justice at the University of Hertfordshire. She completed her PhD in 2018, with a focus on the “The Incarcerated Pregnancy: An Ethnographic Study of Perinatal Women in English Prisons.” It found that the needs of pregnant women were largely ignored by the male-centric prison system, leading to feelings of “institutional thoughtlessness” and “ignominy”. She has co-authored The Birth Charter for pregnant women in England and Wales, with Birth Companions charity, to improve care in prisons.
Moving on from her study she has taken it further to lead research examining the forced separation of newborns from their imprisoned mothers, The Lost Mothers Project. Working with a group of women with lived experience of the system, again in partnership with Birth Companions, and with dissemination through the theatre group, Clean Break, the work is reaching wider audiences. It has brought increased public and political attention to the vulnerable circumstances of pregnant women and new mothers in prison, with some prisons now enabling midwifery care.
Laura remains a researcher and educator, but her work has led to providing expert evidence to parliamentary committees and contribution to the review of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Services operational policy. She is also co-founder of the Pregnancy in Prison Partnership International (PIPPI) and the UK wide Prison Midwives Action Group (PMAG)
The talk Laura gave to the Maternity and Midwifery hour shares the Lost Mothers project and shows how seeing something is wrong and asking the right questions can lead to impact.
Reflection
Having watched the video here are some starter questions for you to consider. They may lead you to consider some more of your own!
- Were you aware of this research prior to watching the video?
- Are you aware of prison circumstances locally? If not, can you find out?
- How has knowledge of the research and circumstances impacted you? Will it change your practice now? If not, why is this?
- How did the COVID pandemic change practice in prison locally?
- Following the video, how do you feel about the process of changing practice? Is this your own experience? How can this be improved?
- Is there anything you would like to change? What will you do about it?
We would be interested to read your stories! Tell us more in the comments box below.