Experience of Intimate Partner Violence-Related Strangulation by Pregnancy Status

To compare the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV)-related strangulation between pregnant and nonpregnant patients.

Retrospective descriptive study using archived patient records.

A community-based, forensic nurse examiner program in the midwestern United States.

Records of patients who sought care after they experienced IPV-related strangulation (n = 23 pregnant; n = 119 nonpregnant).

We used de-identified patient records from medical forensics exams to examine the following: victimization experience, strangulation actions, accompanying abusive actions, perpetrator characteristics, bodily injuries, and strangulation symptoms. We used binary logistic regression and independent samples t tests to compare experiences between pregnant and nonpregnant patients.

Findings related to victimization experiences, strangulation actions, accompanying abusive acts, perpetrator characteristics, and bodily injuries were similar between the records of pregnant and nonpregnant patients. Records indicated that patients who were pregnant were significantly more likely to experience anoxic symptoms (i.e., involuntary urination, odds ratio (OR) = 3.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.05, 12.17]), hypoxic symptoms (i.e., fainting, OR = 10.42, 95% CI [1.78, 60.99]), and vision changes (OR = 3.03, 95% CI [1.16, 7.89]) compared with nonpregnant patients.

Women who are pregnant may experience more severe symptoms following IPV-related strangulation. Health care providers must screen patients for IPV during routine encounters to prevent and/or interrupt pregnancy-related violence. Screening provides an opportunity to refer patients for appropriate support services in their community to mitigate risk to the mother and child.