House Passes Bill to Help Incarcerated Women With Childbirth

OLYMPIA (AP) — A measure requiring that jails and the Department of Corrections provide "reasonable accommodations" for midwifery and doula services for women who are pregnant while incarcerated or who have recently given birth has been approved by the Washington state House.

House Bill 2016 passed Tuesday on a 97-1 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Under the measure, trained doulas and midwives would provide inmates with physical, emotional and informational support before, during and after delivery.

A person providing midwifery or doula services must also be granted appropriate access to the facility and be allowed to attend and provide assistance during labor and childbirth and have access to the inmate's relevant health care information.