The prevalence of violence investigated in a pregnant population in Sweden.
All women registered for antenatal care within a Swedish municipality during a 6-month period were assessed regarding acts of violence. The Abuse Assessment Screen was used on two occasions during pregnancy, and once between 4 and 20 weeks after delivery. The efficacy of repeated interviews was investigated, and characteristics of abused and non-abused women were compared. The participation rate was 93% (1038 women). Physical abuse by a close acquaintance or relative during or shortly after pregnancy was reported by 1.3%, and by 2.8% when the year preceding pregnancy was included. The lifetime prevalence of emotional, physical or sexual abuse was 19.4%. Repeated questioning increased the detection of abuse. Women abused during pregnancy reported more preceding ill-health and more elective abortions than non-abused women. Intervention against sexual violence has been on the political agenda in Sweden for several decades. Even so, physical abuse is a risk factor comparable in frequency to obstetric complications such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. Routines need to be established to make questioning about violence an integral part of the standardized screening for risk factors during pregnancy.
Stenson
K
K
National Center for Battered and Raped Women, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. 018-230654@telia.com
Heimer
G
G
Lundh
C
C
Nordström
M L
ML
Saarinen
H
H
Wenker
A
A
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011902:Rape / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*