THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON PREGNANT WOMEN: A REVIEW ARTICLE
HAMZAH MOHAMMAD ALGHZAWI *
School of Nursing, University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMB), Maryland, USA
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Domestic violence against pregnant women is a stressful social event that has been documented as a significant health predicament around the world.
Aim: This literature aims to overview the social phenomenon of domestic violence against pregnant women: its definition, prevalence, consequences, screening, and the role of maternity services.
Methods: This article is a comprehensive review rather than a systematic review, involving data collected using electronic databases including PubMed, CINAHL, and MEDLINE.
Results: The review showed inconsistencies in the findings concerning the definition and prevalence of violence against pregnant women, and this was due to socio-cultural differences. Additionally, domestic violence against pregnant women is harmful to not only the mother, but also her unborn baby, and effective screening is important to develop a plan to protect the safety of pregnant women and improve her health.
Conclusion: This review helps healthcare providers, including nurses and midwives, to recognize the phenomena of violence against pregnant women, its definition, types, consequences, and screening methods. Furthermore, findings could play an important role in raising women's awareness of their rights for a safe and satisfying pregnancy and childbirth.
Keywords: Violence, women, pregnancy, consequences, screening