Domestic violence and pregnancy: Difference between revisions

'''[[https://spayrow.com/jamisite/complete-guide-to-pregnancy/ Pregnancy]] when coupled with [[domestic violence]]''' is a form of [[intimate partner violence]] (IPV) where [[health]] risks may be amplified. Abuse during [[pregnancy]], whether physical, verbal or emotional, produces many adverse [[physical abuse|physical]] and [[psychological]] effects for both the mother and fetus. [[Domestic violence]] during pregnancy is categorized as abusive behavior towards a pregnant woman, where the pattern of abuse can often change in terms of severity and frequency of violence. Abuse may be a long-standing problem in a relationship that continues after a woman becomes pregnant or it may commence in pregnancy.<ref>Johnson, J.K., F. Haider, K. Ellis, D.M. Hay, S.W. Lindow. "The prevalence of domestic violence in pregnant women." BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 110.3 (2003): 272-75. Web. 22 Mar 2011.</ref> Although female-to-male partner violence occurs in these settings, the overwhelming form of domestic violence is perpetrated by men against women.<ref name="Stephenson, Rob 2008">Stephenson, Rob, Michael A. Koenig, Rajib Acharya and Tarun K. Roy. "Domestic Violence, Contraceptive Use, and Unwanted Pregnancy in Rural India." Studies in Family Planning. 39.3 (2008): 177-86. Print.</ref> Pregnancy provides a unique opportunity for healthcare workers to screen women for domestic violence though a recent review found that the best way in which to do this is unclear.<ref name="ReferenceC">{{cite journal|last1=Jahanfar|first1=S|last2=Howard|first2=LM|last3=Medley|first3=N|title=Interventions for preventing or reducing domestic violence against pregnant women.|journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews|date=12 November 2014|volume=11|issue=11|pages=CD009414|pmid=25390767|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD009414.pub3|pmc=7104547}}</ref> Reducing domestic violence in pregnancy should improve outcomes for mothers and babies though more good quality studies are needed to work out effective ways of screening pregnant women.<ref name="ReferenceC"/>

Domestic abuse can be triggered by pregnancy for a number of reasons. Pregnancy itself can be used a form of coercion and the phenomenon of preventing one’san intimate partner's reproductive choice is referred to as [[reproductive coercion]]. Studies on [[birth control sabotage]] performed by males against female partners have indicated a strong correlation between domestic violence and birth control sabotage.<ref name="impactresearch.org">[http://www.impactresearch.org/documents/birthcontrolexecutive.pdf Domestic Violence and Birth Control Sabotage: A Report from the Teen Parent Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920050412/http://www.impactresearch.org/documents/birthcontrolexecutive.pdf |date=2016-09-20 }}, Center for Impact Research, 1999.</ref> Pregnancy can also lead to a hiatus of domestic violence when the abuser does not want to harm the unborn child. The risk of domestic violence for pregnant women is greatest immediately after [[childbirth]].<ref>Mezey, Gillian C., and Bewley Susan. "Domestic Violence and Pregnancy: Risk Is Greatest after Delivery." BMJ: British Medical Journal. 314.7090 (1997): 1295. Print.</ref>

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[[Birth control sabotage]], or reproductive coercion, is a form of coercion where someone manipulates another person's use of birth control - weakening efforts to prevent an [[unwanted pregnancy]]. Replacing [[birth control pill]]s with fakes, puncturing [[condom]]s, and threats and violence are examples of prevention of an individual's attempt to avoid pregnancy. Pregnancy-promoting behavior of abusive male partners is one method of domestic violence and is associated with unwanted pregnancy, particularly in adolescents.<ref name="ReferenceA">Miller, Elizabeth, Decker, Michelle, Reed, Elizabeth, Male Partner Pregnancy-Promoting Behaviors and Adolescent Partner Violence: Findings from a Qualitative Study with Adolescent Females.</ref> Reproductive coercion itself is a form of domestic violence because it results from unwanted sexual activity and hinders a woman’swoman's ability to control her body. [[Forced pregnancy]] can also be a form of financial abuse when a woman becomes trapped in a relationship because the pregnancy has led to economic dependence for new mothers.<ref name="irishexaminer.com">[http://irishexaminer.com/ireland/pregnancy-offers-no-protection-from-abuse-123232.html Pregnancy offers no protection from abuse]</ref> They can be under stress

Unintended pregnancies are 2twoto3three times more likely to be associated with abuse than intended pregnancies.<ref>J.E. Hathaway, L.A. Mucci and J.G. Silverman et al., Health status and health care use of Massachusetts women reporting partner abuse, Am J Prev Med 19 (2000), pp. 302–307.</ref> Research among adolescent populations shows females who experience IPV use condoms at low rates and are fearful of negotiating the use of condoms.<ref>A. Raj, M.C. Santana and A. La Marche et al., Perpetration of intimate partner violence associated with sexual risk behaviors among young adult men, Am J Public Health 96 (2006), pp. 1873–1878.</ref> In a study of sexually experienced women 15-1915–19 in Uganda, surveys found that fourteen percent14%ofwomen’swomen's first [[sexual intercourse]] had been coerced. Of those fourteen percent14%, the women were far more likely to be having unprotected sex without the use of modern contraceptives and to have had unintended pregnancies within the last six months compared to women who had not been sexually coerced.<ref>Michael A. Koenig, Iryna Zablotska, Tom Lutalo, Fred Nalugoda, Jennifer Wagman and Ron Gray. “Coerced First Intercourse and Reproductive Health among Adolescent Women in Rakai, Uganda.”</ref> In Egypt, over 80% of [[rural women]] believe that beatings are sometimes justified<ref>

El-Zanaty F et al. Egypt demographic and health survey 1995. Calverton, MD, Macro International, 1996</ref> and one of the most common reasons given as a just cause for beatings is refusing a man sex.<ref>El-Zanaty F et al. Egypt demographic and health survey 1995. Calverton, MD, Macro International, 1996.</ref><ref>David F, Chin F. Economic and psychosocial influences of family planning on the lives of women in Western Visayas. Iloilo City, Central Philippines University and Family Health International, 1998.</ref> This affects the ability of women to protect themselves from unwanted sexual contact and the consequences of sexual intercourse, such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.<ref name="Violence by Intimate Partners">[httphttps://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/global_campaign/en/chap4.pdf Violence by Intimate Partners] WHO: World Health Organization.</ref>

There are many dangerous effects that violence during pregnancy can cause for both the mother and child. A violent pregnancy is considered high risk because verbal, emotional, and physical abuse all lead to adverse health consequences for both the mother and fetus.<ref>Johnson, J.K., F. Haider, K. Ellis, D.M. Hay, S.W. Lindow. "The prevalence of domestic violence in pregnant women." BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 110.3 (2003): 272-75. Web. 22 Mar 2011.</ref> Violence during pregnancy has been associated with [[miscarriage]], late [[prenatal care]], [[stillbirth]], [[preterm birth]], fetal injury (including bruising, broken and fractured bones, stab wounds<ref>Mezey, Gillian C., and Bewley Susan. "Domestic violence and pregnancy." BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 104.5 (1997): 528-531. Print.</ref> and low birth weight.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> Violence during pregnancy also leads to additional risks for the mother such as increased [[psychiatric disorders of childbirth|mental health problems]], suicide attempts, worsening of chronic illness, injury, [[substance abuse]], anxiety, stress, chronic pain, and gynecological problems.<ref>[http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/ 0014/71240/MPS_GEM_ MDA_ new.pdf]{{dead link|date=December 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} WHO Europe. “Making Pregnancy Safer & Gender Maisntreaming: Response to domestic violence in pregnancy”</ref> Women battered during pregnancy were more frequently and severely beaten throughout the course of their relationship compared to women who were not abused during pregnancy.<ref name="Campbell, JC 1993"/> IPV also accounts for a large portion of maternal mortality. [[Homicide]] is the second leading cause of injury related deaths in pregnant and post-partum women in the United States<ref>American Journal of Public Health, March 2005</ref> and a study conducted in hospital in India found that 16% of all deaths during pregnancy were a result of partner violence.<ref>Too far, too little, too late: a community-based case–control study of maternal mortality in rural west Maharashtra, India. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 1998</ref> Studies have also found a correlation between domestic violence and increased use of [[abortion]].<ref>Amaro et al. “Violence during pregnancy and substance abuse.” Am J Public Health. May 1990. 575-9</ref> Pregnant abused women are less likely to report abuse or leave their abuser because of added financial and housing security concerns.<ref>[http://www.hawc.org/atf/cf/{CE32CB3730BB42828F80EDC059FE3ED6}/DV%20and%20Pregnancy%20Snapshot.pdf]{{dead link|date=December 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} Houston Area Women’s Center. “Dangers of Domestic Violence during Pregnancy.</ref>

Certain women are more likely to be abused during pregnancy than others. Women who have been abused before getting pregnant are at higher risk of violence during pregnancy.<ref name="Bacchus, Loraine 2004">Bacchus, Loraine, Gill Mezey, Susan Bewley, and Alison Haworth. "Prevalence of domestic violence when midwives routinely enquire in pregnancy." BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 111.5 (2004): 441-45. Web. 22 Mar 2011</ref> Abuse is not restricted to a specific socio-economic or demographic group of women or to a specific period in a woman’swoman's reproductive life.<ref>(Hedin-Widding L. Postpartum, also a risk period for domestic violence. Eur J Obstet Gynecol 2000;89:41 – 45. 24. McLeer SV)</ref>

Partner violence in a relationship increases the chances of unintended pregnancy. A Canadian study that outlined causes of physical abuse identified “social instability” (e.g. low age, unmarried, lower level of education, and unemployment) as a trigger for violence and used unplanned pregnancies as an example. This suggests that partner violence can lead to increased unintended pregnancies which, in turn, increases physical abuse.<ref>Stewart DE, Ceccutti A. Physical abuse in pregnancy. Can Med Assoc J 1993;149: 1257–1263</ref> Younger women are statistically more susceptible to reproductive coercion and this may beto due to less experience in relationships and, for minors, less access to doctor’sdoctor's appointments and emergency contraception. Adolescents are especially at risk and [[teenage pregnancy]] is correlated with increased rates of domestic violence.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Young women with older boyfriends are more likely to experience domestic violence.<ref name="impactresearch.org"/> Women who experience physical violence from their husbands are less likely to use contraception and more likely to have an unwanted pregnancy.<ref name="Stephenson, Rob 2008"/>

A study done on reporting rates of domestic violence concluded that a woman’swoman's risk of physical and sexual violence during pregnancy is under-reported and underestimated.<ref name="Bacchus, Loraine 2004"/> Each year, over 324,000 pregnant women are victims of domestic violence in the United States.<ref>CDC, “Safe Motherhood",” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002.</ref> A number of countries have sought to statistically estimate the number of adult women who have experienced domestic violence during pregnancy:

*United States prevalence: 3.4 – 334–33.7% <ref>{{cite journal |authorvauthors=Huth-Bocks AC, Levendosky AA, Bogat GA |title=The effects of domestic violence during pregnancy on maternal and infant health |journal=Violence Vict |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=169–85 |date=April 2002 |pmid=12033553 |doi=10.1891/vivi.17.2.169.33647|s2cid=24217972 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |authorauthor1=Torres S, |author2=Campbell J, |author3=Campbell DW, ''|display-authors=et al. '' |title=Abuse during and before pregnancy: prevalence and cultural correlates |journal=Violence Vict |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=303–21 |year=2000 |doi=10.1891/0886-6708.15.3.303 |pmid=11200104|s2cid=41026527 }}</ref>

* Ireland prevalence: 12.5%<ref>{{cite journal |authorvauthors=O'Donnell S, Fitzpatrick M, McKenna P |title=Abuse in pregnancy – the experience of women |journal=Ir Med J |volume=93 |issue=8 |pages=229–30 |date=November 2000 |pmid=11133053}}</ref>

*Population studies from Canada, Chile, Egypt and Nicaragua: 6-156–15% <ref name="Violence by Intimate Partners"/>

Incidence rates are higher for teenagers.<ref>Parker B, McFarlane J, Soeken K, Torres S, Campbell D (1993). "Physical and emotional abuse in pregnancy: a comparison of adult and teenage women". Nurs Res 42 (3): 173–8</ref> The incidence rate for low-income, teen mothers is as high as 38%.<ref name="Violence by Intimate Partners"/>

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[[Category:HumanDomestic pregnancyviolence]]