The following article deals with the subject of awareness of and respect for the rights of women inmates who are incarcerated in prisons during the following periods: pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Motherhood is difficult on every level, which is why it is so important for women to be aware of their rights in this regard. Perinatal care is crucial, due to the safety of both mother and child. It seems inconceivable that everyone lacks access to specialized care. The results of the authors’ survey at the Prison No. 1 in Grudziądz and the Prison in Krzywaniec – the only places in our country intended for the incarceration of convicted women during such a special period as motherhood – showed that there are shortcomings in the maternity and children’s wards when it comes to basic respect for human rights (as in women’s rights during the following periods: pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum), such as dignity and intimacy or access to healthcare services.
