• 30% of domestic violence starts in pregnancy. (Lewis and Drife, 2001, 2005; McWilliams and McKiernan, 1993)

 

• Domestic violence has been identified as a prime cause of miscarriage or still-birth (Mezey, 1997), and of maternal deaths during childbirth (Lewis and Drife, 2001, 2005).

 

• Between 4 and 9 women in every 100 are abused during their pregnancies and/or after the birth. (Taft, 2002)

 

• Legally, if a miscarriage is caused by abuse, the assailant can be charged under S.58 of the Offences against the Person Act, “using an instrument with intent to cause a miscarriage1.

 

• If a baby is born prematurely as a result of an assault, and then dies, the assailant may be charged with manslaughter2.

 

1 See Bristol Evening Post 18th December 2004, report on Nycoma Edwards whose assault on his girlfriend led to miscarrying at 4 and half months.

 

• Within the six weeks following birth, 11 new mothers were known to have been murdered by their male partners during 2000-02, and 14% of all the women who died during or immediately after pregnancy (43 women) had reported domestic violence to a health professional during the pregnancy. (Lewis and Drife, 2005)

 

• 12% of the 378 women whose death was reported to the Confidential Enquiry on Maternal Deaths had voluntarily reported domestic violence to a healthcare professional during their pregnancy. (Lewis and Drife, 2001) None had routinely been asked about domestic violence so this is almost certainly an underestimate.

 

• One study in the USA found a significant relationship between pregnancy, domestic violence, and suicide: pregnant women who attempt suicide are very likely to have been abused. (Stark and Flitcraft, 1996)

 

• In one study, 23% of women receiving care on antenatal and postnatal wards had a lifetime experience of domestic violence, and 3% had experienced violence in the current pregnancy. (Bacchus, 2004)

 

• Routine enquiry about domestic violence in maternity settings is accepted by women, provided it is conducted in a safe confidential environment. A pilot project in Leeds found that 92% of women questioned were in favour of routine enquiry. (Price 2004; Leeds Inter-agency Project, 2005).