Violence during pregnancy

Violence by an intimate partner is showed by physical, sexual or emotional abusive acts as well as controlling behaviors. The majority of women during pregnancy measure physical violence, although sexual and emotional abuse during pregnancy are also considered as harmful for women’s and their children’s well-being. The main sort of physical violence during pregnancy is when the intimate abusive partners target a 3woman’s abdomen, in so doing not only hurting the pregnant women but also potentially risking the pregnancy. Intimate partner violence during pregnancy has been found to be associated with fatal and non-fatal adverse health outcomes for the pregnant woman and her baby due to the direct pain of abuse to a pregnant woman, and the physiological effects of stress from existing or previous abuse on fetal growth and development.

Physical, sexual and psychological violence during pregnancy are linked with higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as suicide attempts, lack of affection towards the child and unwillingness of breastfeeding. The intimate partner violence during pregnancy has significances into the postpartum or the later stage of pregnancy by increased levels of anxiety even six months after birth whose mothers experienced partner violence during pregnancy. The maternal antenatal stress foresees children’s behavioral and emotional problems up to four years later, with the underlying tool of  abuse, including the effect of maternal mood on the fetal brain development, which affects the child’s behavioral development.

Violence against women during pregnancy committed by an intimate partner, is an important public health and human rights issue. Data from a 1993-94 survey of 1842 women 15-39 years old to compare women’s dependence in Tamil Nadu were examined, in the preliminary look at the effect of domestic violence on pregnancy outcomes. The sample included 894 women who had 1 or more pregnancies and were married 10 or less years.