Motherhood Experiences of Incarcerated Pregnant Women: A Phenomenological Study

BACKGROUND: Motherhood in prison is a topic of growing importance and concern in the field of criminal justice. Incarcerated mothers face unique challenges that can have profound psychological impacts. The purpose of this study was to gain a deep understanding of pregnant prisoners’ lived experiences of motherhood. METHODS: This qualitative research was carried out using descriptive-interpretive phenomenology via interviews with 11 pregnant or early postpartum women in prison. The participants were purposefully selected from incarcerated pregnant women in a prison in Iran from 2019 to 2021. The MAXQDA software version 10 was used for data analysis, using Van Manen’s six-step phenomenological approach. RESULTS: The main theme of “living in a dichotomous world “consisting of two subthemes of “moving between unity and separation” and “being subject to ambiguity and uncertainty” emerged in this study. Motherhood in prison is just like living in a shaky and chaotic world, in which mothers are confused between reaching to and separating from their children. They are ambivalent about motherhood and experience mixed emotions of attachment and abandonment to their child and cannot be confident regarding the future of themselves and their children. CONCLUSION: Incarcerated mothers experience mixed emotions of attachment and abandonment towards their children, which leaves them uncertain about the future. It is recommended that security personnel of the prisons and families offer care and support to incarcerated mothers through constructive communications and empathy to enhance their well-being. It also seems crucial to adopt a community-centered approach that provides empathetic support and implements inclusive policies.