Reproductive coercion and partner violence: implications for clinical assessment of unintended pregnancy

Abstract

Unintended pregnancy is common, disproportionately affects younger women and is associated with intimate partner violence. Forced sex, fear of negotiating condom and contraceptive use, inconsistent condom use and partner interference with access to healthcare all contribute to this association between unintended pregnancy and intimate partner violence. A growing body of literature on male partner influences on contraception and pregnancy decision-making has identified a range of male partner pregnancy-controlling behaviors which we have termed reproductive coercion, defined as male partners’ attempts to promote pregnancy in their female partners through verbal pressure and threats to become pregnant (pregnancy coercion), direct interference with contraception (birth-control sabotage), and threats and coercion related to pregnancy continuation or termination (control of pregnancy outcomes). This article examines recent studies on male partner reproductive coercion, underscores the link between unintended pregnancy and intimate partner violence and highlights future directions for research as well as implications for clinical practice.

Keywords::

• barrier contraception
• condom nonuse
• domestic violence
• family planning services
• gender-based violence
• intimate partner violence
• unwanted pregnancy

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge their team with whom they have conducted this reproductive coercion research: Michele Decker, Rebecca Levenson, Heather McCauley, Daniel Tancredi, Phyllis Schoenwald and Jeffrey Waldman.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Funding support for this special report was provided by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R21 HD057814-02 to Elizabeth Miller and Jay G Silverman); UC Davis Health System Research Award to Elizabeth Miller; and Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health award to Elizabeth Miller (BIRCWH, K12 HD051958; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Office of Research on Women’s Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institute of Aging). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.