Pregnancy and Childbirth

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 (Tatt, 2002).

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

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

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 know 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.

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 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).