Restraining pregnant women is a very dangerous practice that can result in injury to the mother and trauma (and even lifetime disabilities or death) to her child.  The American Medical Association (AMA), the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Public Health Association all support limiting the use of restraints for pregnant inmates.

I do commend the Board for proposing regulations limiting the  use of restraints and urge it to make these regulations final.

The practice of restraining pregant women who are inmates of correctional facilities in Virginia is one thing, but when they are preparing to give birth, are in labor, and are attempting some normalcy in postpartem, the whole concept of "restraint" is simply barbaric, sexist, and damaging to women and children.  Given the risks associated with pregnancy and labor and how restraint makes this all much more difficult -- the old regulations simply endanger the lives of these women and their children, as well as the long-term health of the children during childbirth.

A pregnant woman restrained during delivery may be unable to deliver in a speedy fashion. One complication of this is loss of oxygen to the child -- resulting in death, brain damage, cerebral palsy, and a host of other syndromes.  I grant you that being born to a woman who is an inmate of a correctional institution may not be the best start in life, but the gift of neonatal health is not something to rob these children of ... I'm a pretty conservative person.  I am embarrassed that the Commonwealth of Virginia would actually do these things.  A reasonable discussion of this issue argues that physical restraints on pregnant inmates needs to be limited.  Unnecessary restraints are inhumane and endanger the life of the mother and her unborn child.  I cannot think of a more urgent change that the Board of Corrections could enact that would make a real difference in the lives of these women and children, and I strongly encourage you to permanently adopt the new regulations limiting the use of restraints for pregnant inmates.  Thank you--