Counseling intervention to reduce intimate partner violence in pregnancy

January 01, 0001

Counseling intervention to reduce intimate partner violence in pregnancy

These US authors conducted a randomized controlled trial for which 1,044 women were recruited. Women were randomly assigned to receive either intervention (n=521) or usual care (n=523). Individually tailored counseling sessions were adapted from evidence-based interventions for intimate partner violence and other risks. Logistic regression was used to model intimate partner violence victimization recurrence and to predict minor, severe, physical, and sexual intimate partner violence.

They found: "Women randomly assigned to the intervention group were less likely to have recurrent episodes of intimate partner violence victimization (OR 0.48). Women with minor intimate partner violence were significantly less likely to experience further episodes during pregnancy (OR 0.48) and postpartum (OR 0.56). Numbers needed to treat were 17, 12, and 22, respectively, as compared with the usual care group. Women with severe intimate partner violence showed significantly reduced episodes postpartum (OR 0.39), the number needed to treat was 27. Women who experienced physical intimate partner violence showed significant reduction at the first follow-up (OR 0.49) and postpartum (OR 0.47), the numbers needed to treat were 18 and 20, respectively. Women in the intervention group had significantly fewer very preterm neonates (1.5% intervention group, 6.6% usual care group) and an increased mean gestational age (38.2 intervention group, 36.9 usual care group)."

Conclusion: "A relatively brief intervention during pregnancy had discernible effects on intimate partner violence and pregnancy outcomes. Screening for intimate partner violence as well as other psychosocial and behavioral risks and incorporating similar interventions in prenatal care is strongly recommended."

If resources to provide such counseling interventions they appear to be beneficial to women and to their pregnancy outcomes.

For the full abstract, click here.

Obstetrics & Gynecology 115(2, Part 1):273-283, February 2010 © 2010 to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
An Integrated Intervention to Reduce Intimate Partner Violence in Pregnancy-A Randomized Controlled Trial. Michele Kiely, Ayman A. E. El-Mohandes, M Nabil El-Khorazaty, Marie G. Gantz.

Category: P. Psychological, W. Pregnancy, Childbirth, Family Planning. Keywords: pregnancy, intimate partner violence, counseling, prematurity, randomized controlled trial, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 16 February 2010

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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