title: Intimate partner violence among women with eating disorders during the perinatal period.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is estimated to be 4%-8%. Women with mental health difficulties are at increased risk for IPV during the perinatal period. Prevalence of IPV is high among women with eating disorders (ED); however, prevalence of IPV during the perinatal period among women with ED is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied women from a population-based cohort, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Prevalence and odds of physical and emotional IPV during and after the perinatal period was investigated among women with lifetime ED, with (n = 174) or without pregnancy shape and weight concern and/or purging behaviors (n = 189), and women with no ED (n = 8723).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with lifetime ED showed higher prevalence of IPV during and after the perinatal period (physical = 9.6%-14.3% and emotional = 24.1%-28.1%). Lifetime ED was associated with higher odds of physical IPV during the perinatal period (odds ratio: 2.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.11-4.93, p = .03). Lifetime ED with and without pregnancy shape and weight concerns and/or purging was associated with higher odds of IPV after the perinatal period, and higher odds of reporting emotional IPV at all time points. Associations were moderated by partner's response to pregnancy and maternal experience of childhood sexual abuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mothers with ED and their children may be vulnerable to negative effects due to maternal ED and IPV combined, both of which have been associated with severe and long-lasting harmful consequences. Partner's response to pregnancy and maternal experience of childhood sexual abuse might contribute to the association between ED and IPV perinatally.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural and Brain Sciences Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Radha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kothari
authors.affiliation: Behavioural and Brain Sciences Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Easter
authors.affiliation: Behavioural and Brain Sciences Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Section for Women's Mental Health, KCL Institute of Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Louise M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: Behavioural and Brain Sciences Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Micali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001828:Body Image; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008603:Mental Health; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology
keywords: ALSPAC; anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; eating disorder; emotional IPV; intimate partner violence; perinatal; physical IPV; pregnancy; prevalence