Incarceration Exposure and Maternal Food Insecurity During Pregnancy: Findings from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2004–2015

Objectives: This study examines the relationship between exposure to incarceration and food insecurity among mothers during pregnancy. Methods: Using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) from 2004 to 2015, logistic regression models were used to assess the association between incarceration of a woman or her partner in the year before birth and the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity. Results: Net of control variables, exposure to incarceration either personally or vicariously through a partner is associated with a 165% increase in the odds of food insecurity (OR 2.65, CI 2.29, 3.08). Attenuation analyses indicate this association partly operates through financial hardship, maternal unemployment, and receiving WIC benefits. Conclusions for Practice: Given the adverse consequences of food insecurity for maternal health and early childhood development, public health and criminal justice practitioners should develop targeted interventions to alleviate the negative repercussions associated with exposure to incarceration among pregnant women.