Patterns of Intimate Partner Violence Before and During Pregnancy: A Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Criminology

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy poses risks to maternal and infant health.
• Prevalence of IPV during pregnancy is higher than other obstetric complications.
• Patterns of IPV before and during pregnancy require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the prevalence and changing patterns of psychological, physical, and sexual IPV before and during pregnancy.
• To investigate the co-occurrence of different IPV types across pregnancy stages.
• To identify recidivist patterns of IPV victimization.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study was conducted in 21 public primary health antenatal care centers in southern Spain.
• Trained midwives administered the World Health Organization IPV questionnaire in the first and third trimesters.
• Eligible mothers were assessed for IPV experiences before and during pregnancy.

Main Results:

• Overall IPV prevalence decreased from 21.5% before pregnancy to 10.7% during pregnancy (p < .001).
• Psychological IPV showed a significant decrease (21.3% vs. 10.5%, p < .001), as did physical IPV (4.7% vs. 1%, p < .001).
• Over 30% of women with IPV before pregnancy experienced recidivist victimization during pregnancy.

Conclusions:

• IPV prevalence, particularly psychological and physical, significantly decreases during pregnancy.
• Psychological IPV is the most common form, both before and during pregnancy.
• Understanding IPV patterns is crucial for clinical practice and targeted interventions for pregnant women.