Intimate partner violence before or during pregnancy in Rhode Island.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can be any form of physical, psychological, economic, verbal, or sexual abuse by current and former spouses and dating partners. Each year in the United States, IPV affects approximately 1.5 million women, including as many as 324,000 pregnant women.1 IPV during pregnancy can lead to unintended pregnancy, smoking, depression, premature delivery, vaginal bleeding, miscarriage, and serious physical injury or even death of the mother and fetus. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) recommend routine screening of all women for IPV. This report describes 1) the prevalence of IPV before or during pregnancy in Rhode Island and 2) the associations of IPV with maternal health and well-being.