title: Chronicity of partner violence, contraceptive patterns and pregnancy risk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Partner violence may interfere with a woman's ability to maintain continuous contraception and therefore contribute to increased risk of pregnancy among childbearing women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of medical records (N=2000) was conducted from four family planning clinics in the northeast United States. Eligibility criteria for inclusion were as follows: (1) female, (2) reproductive age (menarche through menopause), (3) seeking reproductive services and (4) clinic visit for annual gynecologic exam between 2006 and 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Partner violence was documented in 28.5% (n=569) of medical records. Chronicity of violence influenced contraceptive patterns and pregnancy risk. Women reporting past year partner violence only [odds ratio (OR)=10.2] and violence during the last 5 years (OR=10.6) had the highest odds of not using a current method of contraception. Women reporting recent exposure to violence were most likely to change birth control methods and use emergency contraception (OR=6.5). Women experiencing any history of violence reported more frequent contraceptive method changes during the previous year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A history of partner violence was common among women utilizing family planning services. The chronicity of violence appeared to play a significant role in contraceptive method changes, types of methods used and pregnancy risk. These results may be one explanation for increased pregnancies among women who experience partner violence.
authors.affiliation: University of Massachusetts Lowell, Department of Nursing, School of Health and Environment, Lowell, MA 01854, USA. heidi_fantasia@uml.edu
authors.forename: Heidi Collins
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Fantasia
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: Holly B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Fontenot
authors.forename: Terrence J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Lee-St John
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors