Citation

Guo SF, Wu JL, Qu CY, Yan RY. Int. J. Gynaecol. Obstet. 2004; 84(3): 281-286.

Affiliation

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China. guosufang@chinawch.org.cn

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijgo.2003.08.019

PMID

15001384

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To examine patterns of physical and sexual abuse before, during, and after pregnancy. METHODS: A community-based interview survey of a representative group of women with children aged 6-18 months was carried out between November 1, 2001, and February 28, 2002, in 32 communities of the Tianjing, Liaoning, Henan, and Shannxi provinces. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of physical and sexual abuse (occurring before, during, and after pregnancy) was 11.7%. The prevalence of physical and sexual abuse before pregnancy was 8.5%, compared with 3.6% during pregnancy and 7.4% during an average postpartum period of 11 months. Abuse before pregnancy was a strong indicator of abuse during pregnancy and after delivery, and abuse during a previous period was a strong indicator of subsequent abuse. Most abuse was recurrent and not severe. CONCLUSIONS: Routine screening for abuse in the maternity services setting is advocated to decrease the effect of abuse on women and their children.

Language: en