Table 3 Summary of study characteristics (N = 45)

s2

McNeely et al. 2019

Cross Sectional

Qualitative

Tennessee

Purposive sampling

Interviews

Quantitative = 921

Interviews = 18

Program estimated to have prevented between 270 and 460 unintended pregnancies

Family planning information presented at jail info sessions was comprehensive and accurate

18 interviewees felt program was voluntary

s3

Relias Media, 2021*

News Article

Tennessee

N/A

N/A

Family planning information presented at jail info sessions was comprehensive and accurate

Incarcerated women did not feel coerced into participating in the program

s4

Sufrin et al. 2015b

Retrospective Descriptive

California

Purposive sampling with secondary data analysis

87 new LARC users

Feasible and safe to provide LARC methods to incarcerated women

Correctional facilities should consider increasing access to all available contraceptive methods

s5

Rosengard et al, 2005*

Cross Sectional

Rhode Island

Purposive sampling

221 women aged 18–35

Condom use at last sex, no strong desire to be pregnant, belief that others influence one’s health, and perceived STD risk positively associated women’s intention to use condoms with main partner; pregnancy history negatively associated

Condom use at last sex positively associated with women’s intention to use condoms with casual partner; binge drinking and belief that one’s health is largely matter of chance negatively associated

s6

Davis et al. 2018*

Retrospective Descriptive

U.S. Carceral System

Secondary data analysis

U.S. prison population

Medical screenings and reproductive health screenings and services, including contraception services, should be conducted for incarcerated individuals

s14

Sufrin et al. 2009a*

Cross Sectional

U.S. Carceral System

Purposive sampling with surveys

286 correctional health care providers

70% reported some degree of contraceptive counseling but only 11% routinely provided prior to release

70% reported their institution has no formal policy on contraception

Only 50% of providers rated their contraceptive counseling ability as good or very good

s16

Sufrin et al. 2015a*

Research Synthesis

U.S. Carceral System

N/A

N/A

Description of access and barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health care for incarcerated women

s21

Cannon et al. 2018*

Cross Sectional

Illinois

Convenience sampling with surveys

194 women aged 18–50

73.2% of women were at-risk for pregnancy

68% has unprotected sex prior to survey administration

81.4% would be interested in emergency contraception if available

72.7% would be interested in contraceptive supplies if provided free at release

s22

Clarke et al. 2006a*

Cross Sectional

Rhode Island

Purposive sampling with surveys

484 women

84.6% indicated it was likely they would have sex with a male partner within 6 months of release

Participants at high risk for STDs and pregnancy, characterized by inconsistent birth control use (66.5%) and condom use (80.4%), multiple partners (38%), and high prevalence of history of unplanned pregnancies (83.6%) and STDs (49%)

s23

Sufrin et al. 2010*

Cross Sectional

California

Purposive sampling with surveys

290 women

71% of all women indicated they would accept an advance supply of emergency contraception upon release from jail

84 women eligible for emergency contraception

68% of all women had misperception about emergency contraception

s24

Oswalt et al. 2010*

Cross Sectional

Southeastern Metropolitan area

Purposive sampling with surveys

188 women of child-bearing age

High rates of STDs, inconsistent contraceptive use, and use of unreliable and user-dependent contraception methods and appeared to need education about contraception methods

s36

Brousseau et al, 2020*

Randomized Controlled Trial

Not Specified

Randomized into control and intervention groups

232 women

Initiation of contraception higher in intervention group, but not significant after controlling number of male partners within 1 year prior to incarceration

No significant difference between groups in rates of pregnancies or STDs or continuation of contraception after release

s37

Peart & Knittel, 2020*

Systematic Review

U.S. Carceral System

N/A/

25 studies

Incarcerated women desire access to standard and emergency contraception from carceral health care systems, are concerned about health care providers and manner of care provided, and would like assistance with connecting to community resources

s38

Knittel et al. 2017*

Research Synthesis

U.S. Carceral System

N/A/

N/A

Incarcerated women have distinct health needs from men and provides synthesis of evidence with recommendations for improving reproductive health care for incarcerated women

s39

ACOG, 2021*

Medical Opinion and Position Statement

U.S. Carceral System

N/A

N/A

Recommendations for improving reproductive health care for incarcerated pregnant, postpartum, and nonpregnant women including contraception

s40

Clarke et al. 2006b*

Cross Sectional

Rhode Island

Purposive sampling with interviews

119 women in Phase 1

105 women in Phase 2

Provision of contraception services during incarceration is feasible and greatly increases birth control initiation compared to community-only provision

s41

Sufrin et al. 2017*

Descriptive

Multi-state

N/A/

4 incarcerated contraception service programs

Concerned facilities health administrators, providers, advocates, and legislators should enhance policies for counseling women on family planning and make range of contraception methods available before release

s47

Clarke et al. 2006c*

Cross Sectional

Rhode Island

Convenience sampling with interviews

223 women

Women with negative pregnancy attitudes were significantly more likely to want to start or continue birth control method compared to those with ambivalent pregnancy attitudes

s51

Brousseau et al. 2022*

Cross Sectional

Not Specified

Purposive sampling with surveys

163 women in the community (control group)

141 women in correctional facility (experimental group)

Incarcerated woman less likely to give answer about current or future IUD or implant use

Concerns about pain and side effects similar between groups, but incarcerated women more likely to be concerned about device removal and level of training of provider performing device insertion

Incarcerated women felt more comfortable with device placement in community than correctional setting

s55

Hayes et al. 2020*

Research Synthesis

U.S. Carceral System

N/A

N/A

By denying access to abortion and contraception, mass incarceration has become a driver of forms of reproductive oppression for people in prison and jails and the community

s56

Smith, 2016*

Opinion

U.S. Carceral System

N/A

N/A

Contraception and contraceptive counseling should be provided in a patient-centered and non-coercive manner

s64

Wenzel et al. 2021*

Cross Sectional

Virginia

Purposive sampling with surveys

95 women at-risk for pregnancy

193 women in total

94% reported vaginal intercourse during 3 months before jail

78% anticipated sex with a man within 6 months of release

47% expressed interest in receiving birth control while jail

s65

Pan et al. 2021*

Cross Sectional

U.S. Carceral System

Convenience sampling with surveys

22 state prison system

6 jails

11 prison and 5 jails permitted permanent female contraception, of which 7 prisons and 3 jails allowed this without a written policy

6 prison and 0 jails provided access to permanent but not reversible contraception

s66

Ravi et al. 2017*

Qualitative

New York

Purposive sampling with interviews

21 women

Trafficking survivors access care for STD and HIV testing, unintended pregnancies, traumas, and chronic diseases

Emergency departments, Planned Parenthood, and jails are common care sites

Condom use most common form of prevention but inconsistently negotiated due to financial and violent consequences

s71

Ely et al. 2020*

Cross Sectional

Rural Appalachian jails

Secondary data analysis

400 women

96.5% reported lifetime contraception use with 70.5% reporting using multiple methods

69% reported nonuse within last 6 months despite high rates of involvement in risk, intimate male partnership

s72

Hoff et al. 2021*

Systematic Review

U.S. Carceral System

N/A/

28 studies

High rates of contraception underutilization, negative attitudes towards pregnancy, minimal access to reproductive health services including evidence-based contraception, and high rates of unplanned and undesired pregnancies

s78

Ramaswamy et al. 2015*

Longitudinal

Urban Midwestern jail

Purposive sampling with surveys

102 women at baseline

66 women at follow-up

42% of women using highly effective methods prior to incarceration and 54% after release

Consistent use of birth control and alcohol problems associated with utilization prior to incarceration and previous pregnancies associated with utilization after release

s79

LaRochelle et al. 2009*

Cross Sectional

California

Purposive sampling with surveys

221 women

61% did not use contraception in past year but 19% of those individuals wanted to

This group reported greater difficulty with payment, finding a clinic, and transportation to the clinic relative to those who has used contraception in past year

60% of all women surveyed would accept contraception from Jail Health services if offered

s80

Thompson et al. 2021*

Concurrent Mixed Methods

East Coast Urban jail

Convenience sampling with focus groups and surveys

116 women

In 30 days prior to arrest, 24% using non-barrier contraception method with LARC use being the least

64% not interested in initiating LARC method in jail due to potential LARC side effects and distrust in correctional health care staff’s qualifications

Coercion was not listed as a concern

s84

Schonberg et al.  2015*

Qualitative

New York

Semi-structured interviews

32 women

Most participants believed contraception should be provided at jail, but many also said they would be hesitant to use those services

Reservations included: negative views of jail health care services, fears about safety of birth control, difficulties associated with follow-up in the community, and desire for pregnancy

s86

Myers et al. 2021

Cross Sectional

Utah

Surveys

148 women aged 18–48

High interest in accessing contraception while in jail

Those interested in access during jail more likely to be interested in the injectable, implant, or IUD relative to those who are not interested

s88

Myers, 2018

Qualitative

Utah

Surveys

Interviews

194 women

8 jail health care providers

41% of women planned to use contraception after release

67& reported interest in initiating contraception in jail

Four providers described comprehensive contraceptive programs in their facilities, 2 providers described limited care, and 2 providers described no contraceptive care available for women

s89

Hunter, 2008*

News Article

New York

N/A

N/A

New York county jails did not have written policies regarding sexual and reproductive or OBGYN care and services

Required individuals to quit contraception upon incarceration

Reluctance of jail staff to provide care

s91

NCCHC 2020*

Position Statement

U.S. Carceral System

N/A

N/A

Provides recommendations for standards of care and position of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care on correctional health care provision

s92

LaRochelle et al. 2012*

Cross Sectional

California

Surveys

228 reproductive aged women

Difficulty with finding a clinic and transportation to the clinic and payment found in group that had not used contraception in the past year

60% would accept contraception if offered in jail

s93

Hale et al. 2009

Cross Sectional

Southeastern U.S

Surveys

188 women

61.5% did not want to become pregnant, but 76.9% intended to have after release from jail

Hight rates of STDs, use of user-dependent and unreliable, and inconsistent use of birth control methods

s94

Sufrin et al. 2012*

Cross Sectional

California

Surveys

9 first year medical students

199 patient visits

Development of medical curriculum for providing OBGYN care for incarcerated patients

s95

Cheedalla & Sufrin, 2021*

Cross Sectional

U.S. Carceral System

Surveys

22 state prisons

6 jails

3 juvenile detention centers

All sites continued use of prescribed method with restrictions on method type and reasons for use

90% of sites allowed individuals to initiate contraception method in custody

65% of sites has formal written contraception policies

s103

Walsh, 2016*

Law Review

New York

N/A

N/A

Poor policies relating to contraception and poor quality of care

Patient concerns around access to gynecological exams, sanitary products, and contraception

s118

California Senate Committee on Public Safety 2016

Senate Bill

California

N/A

N/A

Improved access to sanitary or menstruation products, establish wider formulary of contraception methods, and care be provided in non-coercive manner by licensed health care provider

s121

Goodman et al. 2016*

Evidence Review

California

N/A

N/A

Provides recommendations on how to improve contraception access to incarcerated women

s122

Swavola et al. 2016*

Evidence Review

U.S. Jails

N/A

N/A

Despite most incarcerated women interested in beginning contraception either during incarceration or upon release, contraception is not typically available to them

s123

Kraft-Stolar, 2015*

Policy Review

New York

N/A

N/A

Identified problem areas, positive aspects, and recommendations regarding reproductive health care related to severely limited access to contraception for both pregnancy prevention and non-contraceptive benefits

s124

Carey et al. 2008 

Research Synthesis

New York

Secondary data analysis

Policy review

52 facilities that housed women

No uniform set of policies regarding reproductive health care access

No oversight of facilities that create their own policies

s126

Sufrin, 2014*

Qualitative

California

Interviews

40 jail workers, medical staff, and incarcerated women

Jail care can be one of the first contact points for sexual and reproductive health care including contraception

Provides recommendations on how to improve for sexual and reproductive health care for incarcerated women