Intimate Partner Violence during pregnancy: Impact on women and children: A Review

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the major causes of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder and can have a negative impact on the mother during pregnancy. This review aims to understand the health consequences of IPV on maternal mental health so that effective interventions and policies can be developed and implemented to provide support to victims, promote gender equality, and prevent adverse maternal outcomes.  Methods: A systematic search was conducted as per the PRISMA guidelines. Computer database researches were conducted using the following databases: Google Scholar, Psych INFO, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. The literature was screened by titles and abstracts and by applying keyword search. The following keywords were searched: women, violence, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, IPV, pregnancy, antenatal, conception, maternal health, child health, mental health, and maternal mental health. The literature search was done from 2014 to 2024.   Results: IPV not only poses adverse effects on the well-being of the victim but also disrupts the stability of the environment of the home. It impacts the health, nurturing care, and overall development of the child. Children born to mothers exposed to violence during pregnancy may have lower birth weights and experience higher rates of mortality, preterm births, and lower Apgar scores. The negative effects of IPV on child health also extend beyond the child's cognitive development, impacting the academic performance of their peers. Conclusion: A vast majority of the incidents involving IPV go unreported due to fear, shame, stigma, or lack of awareness. This can affect the accuracy of the actual data of prevalence. In addition, societal norms, gender stereotypes, and male dominance may add to the effects of IPV, making it difficult for the victims to seek help.