Safety behaviors of abused women after an intervention during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate an intervention protocol, administered during pregnancy, for increasing safety-seeking behaviors of abused women.

DESIGN

Prospective, ethnically stratified cohort analysis.

SETTING

Public prenatal clinics.

PARTICIPANTS

Pregnant women reporting physical or sexual abuse in the year before or during the present pregnancy. One hundred thirty-two women met study criteria, received the intervention, and were followed for 1 year after the completion of the pregnancy.

INTERVENTION

Three education, advocacy, and community referral sessions that included information on safety behaviors.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Adoption of safety behaviors by abused women. Safety behaviors were measured before the intervention, twice during pregnancy, and at 2, 6, and 12 months after completion of the pregnancy.

RESULTS

Repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant increase in adoption of each safety behavior (p < .0001), with most behaviors showing a significant increase after the first intervention session.

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women who were abused and were offered an intervention protocol report a significant increase in safety behavior adoption during and after pregnancy. Abuse during pregnancy is common. Identification of abuse and immediate clinical intervention that includes information about safety behaviors can result in safety behavior adoption that may prevent future abuse and increase the safety and well-being of women and infants.