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Abstract #165391

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Tiloma Jayasinghe, National Advocates for Pregnant Women, 39 West 19th St., Suite 602, New York, NY 10011, 212-255-9252, tjayasinghe@gmail.com

This presentation will discuss the growing number of criminal cases involving pregnant women continuing to term, the application of civil commitment and punitive child welfare laws to pregnant women and new mothers, the criminal justice implications of outlawing some or all forms of abortion and the arrest of women who have been accused of trying to end their own pregnancies. For example, the following data and issues will be presented:

The results of a comprehensive survey of criminal cases involving the prosecution or pregnancy related crimes from 1977-2005.

The grave implications to all pregnant women, not just those seeking to end their pregnancies will be discussed in light of the recent Supreme Court decision in Gonzalez v. Carhart.

Recent prosecutions of women throughout the country for continuing to term in spite of a health problem and the impact these prosecutions have in deterring women from seeking health care resources that are often not available to them in the first instance. This part of the presentation will highlight a recent case, State v. Martinez, that is currently pending before the New Mexico Supreme Court.

Proposed state and federal legislation that would directly or indirectly create the basis for arresting women who suffer pregnancy loss or who are believed to risk harm to their “unborn” children.

Implications for public health and strategies for reversing this trend will be discussed as well as organizing and recognizing intersectionalities and potential allies both within and beyond the public health sphere.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize that laws limiting abortion rights and access have a wide ranging impact on a multitude of health issues faced by pregnant and parenting women.
• Suggest strategies to change the conversation and bring issues regarding women's health within the public health and medical paradigms and out of the criminal justice sphere.
• Identify and recognize non-traditional allies and build on existing allies to form a more cohesive united front that can advocate for effective change that promotes and protects both maternal and fetal health.
• Advocate for grassroots level organizing and support to foster change and progress at the local, rural and community-based leves.

Keywords: Pregnancy, Maternal Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Audio (mp3) recording
• Slides (pdf) or Handout