Women handcuffed during childbirth: "I was very shocked when they didn't remove my handcuffs"

The case of Joanna and Laura has shed light on the shocking treatment of pregnant women in UK prisons, who have been held in handcuffs during childbirth and for intimate examinations. Despite not being considered an escape risk and knowing their rights, they experienced pain, fear and humiliation at one of the most sensitive times of their lives. Their testimonies have sparked public outcry and an independent inquiry into the practice, raising serious questions about respect for human rights and dignity in the prison system.

The most difficult moment of Joanna's birth was an internal gynecological check. She was handcuffed, her legs spread, and a male prison officer, at the end of the hospital bed, saw everything.

Joanna had carefully prepared for the arrival of her first child. She knew that childbirth could be unpredictable. Her situation was made even more difficult because during the final months of her pregnancy she was serving a prison sentence.

Joanna was a model prisoner and followed the rules. She had been convicted of a non-violent drug offense and was not considered an escape risk, especially during a painful birth. She had planned to use hypnobirthing, breathing and relaxation techniques to make the birth more comfortable. Thanks to information from the charity Birth Companions, she knew she had the right not to be shackled during the birth.

Investigations into this practice

When Joanna went into labor on December 30, 2022, she was taken to the hospital in handcuffs and chained to a prison officer. She remained handcuffed for 36 hours during a long and difficult labor. Any thought of breathing techniques disappeared.

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“I was crying so hard that my nose was blocked and I couldn’t use breathing techniques,” she says. “I’m a person who studies my rights well. Many people told me during my pregnancy that I wouldn’t give birth in handcuffs. I was taken to the hospital chained to an officer and I thought they were going to take my handcuffs off at the hospital entrance.

I was shocked when they didn't remove them. When I told the guards about the Birth Companions booklet, they said, 'We don't know what that book is and we won't use it.' I felt very scared. It was my first child, I didn't know what to expect from the birth and I wasn't a danger to anyone."

Joanna gave an anonymous interview to Channel 4 News in 2025 about her experience. The prisons minister, Lord Timpson, then announced in June that an independent inquiry would be carried out by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO). The inquiry will look into the practice of handcuffing pregnant women during antenatal checks, intimate examinations and during childbirth. Timpson said reports of pregnant women being handcuffed during childbirth were “deeply concerning”. However, there are no official figures showing how many women have been handcuffed during childbirth.

The Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have called for an inquiry into the use of handcuffs on pregnant women in prison. Lawyers, activists and former prisoners welcome the inquiry but have concerns.

Jane Ryan, a partner at the law firm Bhatt Murphy, represents six women who were handcuffed in these conditions, including when they were tied to male officers. She says they were treated in a “horrific” manner. She says the practice is barbaric and should never have happened. The handcuffs were used repeatedly, lasted for days and directly impacted the women’s experience of pregnancy and childbirth.

Ryan estimates that between 2021 and 2025, about 500 pregnant women were in prison, and about half of them may have given birth while in prison. She says the investigation falls short of human rights standards. Ryan is calling for state funding for legal representation, equal opportunities for victims, and public hearings where all sides are heard.

The firm has sent a preliminary formal letter to the Attorney General, David Lammyt. The letter calls for the investigation to be truly independent, allow for oral evidence and legal representation, and examine systemic failures and individual responsibilities.

When The Guardian asked the Ministry of Justice for comment, it referred the matter to the PPO. A spokesman for the PPO said that the issue of legal funding was the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. He added that the PPO would engage with women who were handcuffed while being escorted to hospital. The inquiry has been accepted in principle, but has not yet been formally approved and its terms have not been finalised. This is expected to happen soon.

Lord Timpson said the Prison Service had already carried out an in-depth review and had concluded that more clarity was needed on what he called “exceptional circumstances” in relation to the shackling of pregnant women. He also said the gender of staff accompanying prisoners to hospital should be recorded, as this is not currently a mandatory requirement.

"Psychological torture"

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Laura, a Latin American woman living in the United Kingdom, was imprisoned for a non-violent drug-related offense. She did not know she was pregnant when she was arrested. A routine urine test confirmed that she was in the early weeks of pregnancy. Like Joanna, she was a model prisoner and not considered high risk.

Laura was also held in handcuffs for a long time - more than 48 hours after she was taken to the hospital to give birth. She was held in handcuffs for another 12 hours after her labor was induced with medical intervention, while experiencing very painful contractions. She went to the hospital on February 6, 2023, and the baby was born on February 8.

Both women had long and difficult births. Joanna suffered postpartum hemorrhage and bruising to her left wrist from being handcuffed for many hours. Laura also suffered severe hemorrhage and lost a lot of blood. Her case was classified as a “critical incident.”

“I was also handcuffed during prenatal check-ups and intimate examinations,” says Laura. “But the worst part was being handcuffed during labor. When I tried to sleep, shower, or go to the bathroom, I was chained to an officer. Inducing labor was very painful, and the handcuffs caused me even more pain. Childbirth is a very delicate moment. I felt very vulnerable, and this greatly affected my mental state. The lack of empathy from the guards made my experience very stressful and traumatic.”

Both women have launched legal proceedings for assault, ill-treatment and human rights violations. Both male and female officers were present during the birth. Both had previously experienced violence from men and therefore felt particularly frightened when being guarded by male officers at such a sensitive time.

"I felt like I was being psychologically tortured during labor," says Joanna. "I begged the guards, 'Please take off the handcuffs.' But they laughed and talked about their vacations. I showered in handcuffs while I was in labor and felt humiliated. I was afraid I might fall because of the handcuffs. In the end, I gave up praying because I was too tired when it was time to push to deliver the baby."

Joanna recalls: “At one point I was trying to sleep. The room was dark and I was handcuffed to a male officer. I was afraid he might attack me. Even after giving birth I felt exposed when I tried to breastfeed my daughter in front of them.

"After my daughter, Daisy, was born, I asked them to take some pictures of me with her. But they wouldn't let me be in them. In all the pictures you can see an officer's hands on the baby's crib. I felt dehumanized. I feel like they took away my first birth experience."

Naomi Delap, chief executive of Birth Companions, said: “It is unacceptable that the practice of handcuffing women in hospital is still going on. It shows a failed system that does not provide safe and humane care, that does not take into account medical risks and that does not show compassion. It is also a closed and non-transparent system. We have been calling for years for women in prison to be informed about their rights and the policies that affect their care. The fact that they are not informed allows abuse to continue.”

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Joanna says that, although she has now left prison behind and was determined not to get involved in crime again after her pregnancy, she continues to demand far-reaching changes in the prison system. “The Prison Service needs to be held accountable,” she says. “Even though we are prisoners, we are human beings. I just want what happened to me to not happen to other women.”

Laura, who has now returned to her country, says: "I have returned to my homeland, but I decided to get involved in this legal process because this treatment of pregnant women must end. It is inhumane and dangerous for mothers and babies. I was lucky to be able to give birth to my baby, but if measures are not taken, many other women and children will be at risk."