Home      Login

Abstract: 

Each year, thousands of women are beaten or sexually abused while pregnant or postpartum. Many thousands more were abused during childhood. Past abuse can influence women’s experiences of labor and delivery, birth, breastfeeding, and their babies’ first year. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common symptoms among abuse survivors. This article summarizes what we currently know about violence in the perinatal period and what providers can do to support women during this time.

Keywords: 

Affiliations:  1: Texas Tech University School of Medicine.