Battered and pregnant: a prevalence study

Abstract

We interviewed 290 pregnant women randomly selected from public and private prenatal clinics, 80 per cent of whom were at least five months pregnant (ages 18-43, 42 per cent Latino, 22 per cent Black). Twenty-four women reported physical battering during this pregnancy (44 reported physical battering before the current pregnancy). Eight of the 24 pregnant women had sought medical treatment for injuries sustained; none reported having been assessed by prenatal care providers for abuse.