Neonatal Outcomes of Intimate Partner Violence in Pregnancy: A Literature Review

Abstract

Providing care for vulnerable populations is a defining component and purpose of the healthcare industry. The variety of adaptations in baseline health that occur during pregnancy make pregnant people and their expectant neonates a highly vulnerable population (Office on Women’s Health, 2019). While teratogens such as alcohol and drugs are commonly regarded as directly harmful to the fetus, abuse is often viewed in a different light. This could be related to the abundance of research regarding substance abuse and fetal health, compared to the inconsequential amount of data regarding intimate partner violence (IPV) and fetal/neonatal health. There are many barriers to defining the effects of IPV on neonates, most notably including the widespread underreporting of IPV (Walton-Moss et al., 2002, p. 6) (from introduction to the paper)