BACKGROUND: Partner violence may interfere with a woman's ability to maintain continuous contraception and therefore contribute to increased risk of pregnancy among childbearing women. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of medical records (N=2000) was conducted from four family planning clinics in the northeast United States. Eligibility criteria for inclusion were as follows: (1) female, (2) reproductive age (menarche through menopause), (3) seeking reproductive services and (4) clinic visit for annual gynecologic exam between 2006 and 2011. RESULTS: Partner violence was documented in 28.5% (n=569) of medical records. Chronicity of violence influenced contraceptive patterns and pregnancy risk. Women reporting past year partner violence only [odds ratio (OR)=10.2] and violence during the last 5 years (OR=10.6) had the highest odds of not using a current method of contraception. Women reporting recent exposure to violence were most likely to change birth control methods and use emergency contraception (OR=6.5). Women experiencing any history of violence reported more frequent contraceptive method changes during the previous year. CONCLUSIONS: A history of partner violence was common among women utilizing family planning services. The chronicity of violence appeared to play a significant role in contraceptive method changes, types of methods used and pregnancy risk. These results may be one explanation for increased pregnancies among women who experience partner violence.
BACKGROUND: Partner violence may interfere with a woman's ability to maintain continuous contraception and therefore contribute to increased risk of pregnancy among childbearing women. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of medical records (N=2000) was conducted from four family planning clinics in the northeast United States. Eligibility criteria for inclusion were as follows: (1) female, (2) reproductive age (menarche through menopause), (3) seeking reproductive services and (4) clinic visit for annual gynecologic exam between 2006 and 2011. RESULTS: Partner violence was documented in 28.5% (n=569) of medical records. Chronicity of violence influenced contraceptive patterns and pregnancy risk. Women reporting past year partner violence only [odds ratio (OR)=10.2] and violence during the last 5 years (OR=10.6) had the highest odds of not using a current method of contraception. Women reporting recent exposure to violence were most likely to change birth control methods and use emergency contraception (OR=6.5). Women experiencing any history of violence reported more frequent contraceptive method changes during the previous year. CONCLUSIONS: A history of partner violence was common among women utilizing family planning services. The chronicity of violence appeared to play a significant role in contraceptive method changes, types of methods used and pregnancy risk. These results may be one explanation for increased pregnancies among women who experience partner violence.
Authors: Elena Giacci; Kee J E Straits; Amanda Gelman; Summer Miller-Walfish; Rosemary Iwuanyanwu; Elizabeth Miller Journal: J Womens Health (Larchmt) Date: 2021-11-05 Impact factor: 2.681
Authors: Amber L Hill; Hadas Zachor; Elizabeth Miller; Janine Talis; Sarah Zelazny; Kelley A Jones Journal: J Womens Health (Larchmt) Date: 2020-11-18 Impact factor: 2.681
Authors: Natalia V Lewis; Theresa H M Moore; Gene S Feder; John Macleod; Penny Whiting Journal: BMC Womens Health Date: 2018-09-25 Impact factor: 2.809