Routine questioning about domestic violence in maternity settings.

Sally Price, Consultant Midwife, North Bristol NHS Trust and the University of the West of England. July 2003.

Domestic violence in pregnancy is not uncommon, and has serious implications for both maternal and child health. This presentation will examine the relevance of routine questioning about domestic abuse in the maternity setting.

National guidelines including the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Death (NICE 2001) recommend routine antenatal enquiry, as do many professional bodies such as the Royal College of Midwives. However, there continues to be some controversy between the differences in screening and routine enquiry that is not easily resolved by the current evidence. What is clear is that women who use the maternity services do not object to being asked about their experiences of abuse in the home.

The challenges facing health professionals are great, and barriers to asking include negative attitudes and stereotypical beliefs about domestic violence. In order for antenatal questioning to become routine, maternity services staff require high quality professional education and training, guidance, support and supervision, with adequate resources including time. Also required is further research to address gaps in our knowledge such as the impact of enquiry on women's lives and on other statutory and voluntary services.