“Mamãe vai voltar”: Vivência da maternidade privada de liberdade

Abstract

Introduction: Female criminality challenges social paradigms by transgressing the traditional role assigned to women. The stereotype of the female offender often disregards other social roles, including motherhood, thereby exacerbating vulnerabilities in perinatal care. Gestating and caregiving in prison heighten biopsychosocial challenges, restricting human and reproductive rights. Although laws and regulations exist to protect incarcerated mothers, experiencing motherhood in confinement affects the quality of bonding and care within the mother-infant dyad. Objective: To report on the experience of motherhood among incarcerated women in a Reference Center for Pregnant Inmates. Methodology: This is a qualitative, descriptive, observational study conducted at a Reference Center for Pregnant Inmates (CRGPL) in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires applied to 11 women caring for their babies up to one year of age, between April and November 2024. The French Line of Discourse Analysis was used for data interpretation. Results: The women were predominantly brown-skinned, followed by Black women, with a mean age of 27.55 years, low educational attainment, mostly single and multiparous. The following categories emerged from their narratives: “Being a mother in prison”; “Daily life and routine in the prison system”; “Relinquishing the baby”; and “Desire for change.” The findings highlight the challenges of gestating, giving birth, caring for, and nurturing a baby within a microcosm that limits both health and rights. Conclusion: Participants faced numerous challenges in caring for their babies due to the prison infrastructure, the sluggishness of the judicial system, restricted access to healthcare, insufficient preparation for the child relinquishment process, and the burden of balancing self-care and motherhood—ultimately reflecting and reinforcing societal expectations about the female gender.