WUNRN

http://www.wunrn.com

US Department of Health & Human Services - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/violence/IntimatePartnerViolence/sld001.htm

USA - INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE DURING PREGNANCY - POWER POINT

The facts about intimate partner violence and its effects on women’s health are alarming. Each year, approximately 1 and a half million women in the United States report a rape or physical assault by an intimate partner.¹ This number includes as many as 324,000 women who are pregnant when violence occurs.² These numbers probably underestimate the true magnitude of the problem because we know that most incidents are never reported. Violence during pregnancy may be a more common problem than conditions for which pregnant women are routinely screened.3 Studies have found possible associations between intimate partner violence and unintended pregnancy, delayed prenatal care, and behavioral risk factors such as smoking and alcohol and drug abuse.^3,4,5 Reproductive health care services are used routinely by millions of women each year and can provide an important point of contact during which screening for intimate partner violence and appropriate intervention or referral can occur. The purpose of this presentation is to suggest ways that a clinician can play a vital role in this effort.