Stages of change: surviving intimate partner violence during and after pregnancy

This article outlines clinical approaches to pregnant and recently delivered women who have experienced intimate partner violence. Several process theories are discussed, which help providers more deeply understand the meaning women attach to abuse and the complex nature of being both pregnant and abused. Distinctions are made between patient-centered and practitioner-centered approaches. The construct of stages of change is discussed as a basis for stage-based interventions designed to assist women at various points in their struggle to survive abuse.