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. 2012:7.
doi: 10.3402/qhw.v7i0.11199. Epub 2012 Mar 15.

Experiences of being exposed to intimate partner violence during pregnancy

Kristin Engnes  1 , Eva Lidén, Ingela Lundgren
Affiliations

Experiences of being exposed to intimate partner violence during pregnancy

Kristin Engnes et al. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2012.

Abstract

In this study a phenomenological approach was used in order to enter deeply into the experience of living with violence during pregnancy. The aim of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of women's experiences of being exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with five Norwegian women; two during pregnancy and three after the birth. The women were between the age of 20 and 38 years. All women had received support from a professional research and treatment centre. The essential structure shows that IPV during pregnancy is characterized by difficult existential choices related to ambivalence. Existential choices mean questioning one's existence, the meaning of life as well as one's responsibility for oneself and others. Five constituents further explain the essential structure: Living in unpredictability, the violence is living in the body, losing oneself, feeling lonely and being pregnant leads to change. Future life with the child is experienced as a possibility for existential change. It is important for health professionals to recognize and support pregnant women who are exposed to violence as well as treating their bodies with care and respect.

Keywords: Lived experiences; domestic violence; intimate partner violence; phenomenology; pregnancy; violence against women.

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