2.0 Continuing Education Hours

Pregnancy is a unique and complex physiological state requiring specialized healthcare, timely interventions, and careful monitoring to ensure the health and safety of both the pregnant person and the fetus. In the correctional environment, these needs intersect with a host of challenges—limited resources, security constraints, inconsistent prenatal care before incarceration, and high prevalence of comorbidities such as substance use disorders, infectious diseases, and mental health conditions.

Correctional nurses play a critical role in providing timely prenatal assessment, education, and coordination of care, bridging the gap between the patient and the correctional healthcare system.

In this class, we will discuss the pathophysiology of pregnancy, including fetal development and expected changes to the maternal body.  We will discuss four common pregnancy-related conditions, critical “red flags” in pregnancy and the signs and symptoms of labor.