Reproductive autonomy and prisoners' human rights

The notion of prisoners' rights is often a divisive one. The desire to punish those who transgress the law, and the aspiration of encouraging rehabilitation, sometimes seem incompatible. However, determining exactly which rights are forfeited upon conviction is not always clear. While few will be surprised to hear that some female prisoners are pregnant, the circumstances in which a prisoner and his/her partner attempt to start a pregnancy, including recourse to human rights legislation, may raise some eyebrows. This article examines one case involving a male prisoner and his desire to father a child with his wife.