Pregnant Women in Detention Open Meeting - 17/07/12

Pregnant Women in Detention Open Meeting
Tuesday July 17th from 6 to 8pm
Garden Court Chambers, 57-60 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3L
 
Medical Justice invites you to an open meeting on pregnant women in detention on July 17th at 6pm. The meeting will provide background to the legal and policy framework governing the detention of pregnant women; highlight how the UK Border Agency policy is flawed; and expose the poor quality of care delivered inside detention centres.  

The meeting is an opportunity for Medical Justice to consult participants on ideas around the detention of pregnant women before gathering data for a dossier on the subject. This meeting will be particularly relevant to legal representatives, medical professionals, maternal rights and refugee NGOs, and former detainees. However, anyone with an interest in this area may feel free to attend.   
 
Chair: Raza Halim, Garden Court Chambers
Speakers: Jed Pennington (Bhatt Murphy Solicitors), an ex-detainee, Jane Grant (a midwife), Theresa Schleicher (Medical Justice)
 
Discussion: Pregnant women being detained in violation of UKBA policy – Who is responsible and what can be done?
 
Wine and nibbles will be served.

Travel costs within London reimbursed for those not able to work due to immigration control

Please book a place
Email : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  
 
Case-study : Sara* was detained at Yarl's Wood in the early stages of her pregnancy.
She had had two early miscarriages in the past. A removal was booked to her home country where there is high risk of malaria and she was prescribed mefloquine, an anti-malarial that according to home office policy cannot be given to women in the early stages of their pregnancy. Additionally to not being appropriate in early pregnancy she was prescribed the medication too late to established tolerance. She had also had some bleeding and had not had a scan.  
 
Her removal was stopped by the High Court, but Sara remained in Yarl's Wood until she was 20 weeks pregnant. At 20 weeks she complained of bleeding and abdominal pain. After some delay she was taken to hospital where she had a still birth. A guard was present throughout the birth. She was granted TA while in hospital and transferred to the psychiatric unit because she feeling suicidal.
 
*Name has been changed. 

Last Updated on Friday, 06 July 2012 14:32