Domestic violence risk during and after pregnancy: findings from a British longitudinal study

Objective The objectives of this study were to examine the rates of domestic violence reported during and after pregnancy and to assess the importance of family adversity. Design Prospective longitudinal cohort study. Setting Bristol Avon, Southwest England. Population Seven thousand five hundred and ninety-one pregnant women with due dates between 1.4.91 and 31.12.92. Methods Questionnaires administered at 18 weeks of gestation and 8 weeks, 8 months, 21 months and 33 months postpartum. Main outcome measures The experience of emotional or physical cruelty by an intimate partner at each time point. Results Fewer women reported domestic violence victimisation during pregnancy than they did postpartum (18 weeks of gestation: 1% physical cruelty, 4.8% emotional cruelty, 5.1% any victimisation; 33 months postpartum: 2.9% physical, 10.8% emotional, 11% any victimisation). Women who reported being victimised during pregnancy also reported significantly higher levels of social adversity during pregnancy. The number of social adversities reported during pregnancy also predicted postpartum victimisation. Women who reported only one adversity during pregnancy were 2.73 (95% CI, 2.16-3.45) times more likely to report physical victimisation at 33 months postpartum. Women who reported 5 adversities during pregnancy were 14.69 (95% CI, 7.35-29.37) times more likely to report such victimisation at 33 months postpartum. For emotional cruelty, women who reported only one adversity during pregnancy were 2.10 (95% CI 1.80-2.46) times more likely to report emotional victimisation at 33 months postpartum and 6.10 (95% CI 3.51-10.59) times more likely to report such victimisation when five or more adversities were present during pregnancy. Conclusions Levels of social adversity reported in pregnancy are important predictors of concurrent and future victimisation. Screening for social adversity factors could help identify women at high risk for future domestic violence.