Motherhood Experiences of Incarcerated Pregnant Women: A Phenomenological Study.
Somayeh Alirezaei, Robab Latifnejad Roudsari
PMID 37901187WHAT IT FOUND
Eleven incarcerated pregnant women described motherhood as torn between closeness to their unborn child and fear of separation.
They also feared childbirth without support or control, and felt unable to be good mothers in prison.
Key findings
01The women described being pulled between closeness to the unborn child and fear of separation.
02They feared childbirth because they lacked control over where and who assisted, and they worried about hospital staff and escort officers.
03They felt unable to provide for their child in prison and believed love was all they could offer.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 11 women from one central prison in Iran were interviewed, so the themes may not apply to other prisons or countries. Interviews were not recorded because of prison rules; researchers relied on notes, which may miss details. The findings are shaped by Iranian cultural, religious, and prison conditions, and the authors noted possible social and selection bias. This is a qualitative study of experiences, not a test of whether support or communication helps.
Declared interests
The study was part of a doctoral dissertation and funded by Mashhad University of Medical Sciences under grant 980109. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat the reported themes as proof that a birth-support programme or communication strategy works. This study describes 11 women's experiences and did not test any intervention.