{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-57-57-4.2","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 57, § 57-4.2","heading":"Restraints on pregnant inmates – Access to certain persons","body":"during delivery.\n\nA. All penal institutions, detention centers and county jails\n\nshall use the least restrictive restraints necessary when the\n\nfacility has actual or constructive knowledge that an inmate is\n\npregnant. The presumption is that no restraints of any kind shall\n\nbe used, unless otherwise directed by the physician in charge:\n\n1. When transporting an inmate who is in labor;\n\n2. During any phase of labor;\n\n3. While the inmate is delivering her baby; or\n\n4. While the inmate is recuperating from the delivery of her\n\nbaby, unless there are compelling grounds to believe that the inmate\n\npresents an immediate and serious threat of harm to herself, staff\n\nor others or is a substantial flight risk and cannot be reasonably\n\ncontained by other means.\n\nB. Prior to labor, if it is necessary to ensure the safety of\n\nthe inmate, staff or others, only the least restrictive restraints\n\nnecessary shall be used and in a way that mitigates adverse clinical\n\nconsequences. Consultation with medical staff is required prior to\n\napplication of restraints. Written approval from the warden of a\n\npenal institution, director of a detention center or sheriff of a\n\ncounty jail is required, unless there are compelling grounds to\n\nbelieve that the inmate presents an immediate and serious threat of\n\nharm to herself, staff or others or is a substantial flight risk and\n\ncannot be reasonably contained by other means. Correctional\n\nofficers shall be available and shall be required to remove\n\nrestraints upon request from medical personnel. The following\n\nrestraints and control techniques are prohibited:\n\n1. Abdominal restraints;\n\n2. Four-point restraints or placing the pregnant inmate in a\n\nfacedown position;\n\n3. Leg and ankle restraints that may increase the risk of\n\nforward falls; and\n\n4. Any kind of chain restraints where the inmate is linked to\n\nany other inmate.\n\nIn general, the least restrictive restraints necessary shall be\n\na frontal wrist restraint which, if used, must be applied in such a\n\nway that the pregnant inmate is able to protect herself and the\n\nfetus in the event of a forward fall.\n\nC. To maintain privacy, when appropriate, correctional officers\n\nshall be positioned outside the room of the inmate, unless requested\n\nby the physician in charge.\n\nD. Any female inmate confined in a penal institution, detention\n\ncenter or county jail shall receive notice in writing in a language\n\nand manner understandable to the inmate about the requirements of\n\nthis section upon admission to the penal institution, detention\n\ncenter or county jail and again, when the inmate is known to be\n\npregnant. The warden, director or sheriff shall publish notice of\n\nthe requirements of this section in prominent locations where\n\nmedical care is provided to female inmates.\n\nE. All penal institutions, detention centers and county jails\n\nshall ensure that pregnant inmates have access to one of the\n\nfollowing during delivery:\n\n1. A family member or a friend who has previously been approved\n\non the visitors list of the penal institution, detention center or\n\ncounty jail;\n\n2. A member of the clergy; or\n\n3. A doula; provided, during delivery the doula services are\n\nfurnished by a certified doula without charge to the penal\n\ninstitution, detention center or county jail. In such a case, the\n\ninmate must make arrangements for the doula services and shall\n\nnotify the penal institution, detention center or county jail of\n\nsuch request in advance.\n\nF. It shall be unlawful for any correctional officer or county\n\ndetention officer to use restraints on a pregnant inmate as\n\nprohibited by the provisions of subsection A or B of this section\n\nand upon conviction such correctional officer or county detention\n\nofficer shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment\n\nin the county jail for not more than one (1) year, or by a fine of\n\nOne Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such fine and\n\nimprisonment.\ntion officer to use restraints on a pregnant inmate as\n\nprohibited by the provisions of subsection A or B of this section\n\nand upon conviction such correctional officer or county detention\n\nofficer shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment\n\nin the county jail for not more than one (1) year, or by a fine of\n\nOne Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such fine and\n\nimprisonment.\n\nG. As used in this section:\n\n1. \"Certified doula\" means an individual who has received a\n\ncertification to perform doula services from a nationally recognized\n\nchildbirth education association; and\n\n2. \"Doula services\" means continuous emotional and physical\n\nsupport throughout labor and birth and intermittently during the\n\nprenatal and postpartum periods.","path":["OK Code","Title 57"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os57.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"cb8bb68eaec2f5e987272af1d1bc8075347e7e725c52fdfbd7f411a3efd95688","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-57-57-4.1","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-57-57-400"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}