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