Pregnant women in English jails are seven times more likely to suffer stillbirth

Protesters gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London last weekend to demand an end to the jailing of pregnant women. Photograph: Elizabeth Dalziel

Women in prison have a seven-times higher probability of suffering a stillbirth than those in the general population – an increase from a five-times higher probability since the data was last collected two years ago – the Observer can reveal.

Figures obtained through freedom of information requests sent to 11 NHS trusts serving women’s prisons in England also showed that for the years 2020-22, 25% of babies born to women in prison were admitted to a neonatal unit afterwards – almost double the national figure of 14%.