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Struggling to survive for the sake of the unborn baby: a grounded theory model of exposure to intimate partner violence during pregnancy

Finnbogadottir, Hafrun ; Dykes, Anna-Karin LU and Wann-Hansson, Christine LU (2014) In BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 14.
Abstract
Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a serious matter which threatens maternal and fetal health. The aim of this study was to develop a grounded theoretical model of women's experience of IPV during pregnancy and how they handle their situation. Method: Ten interviews with women who had experience of being exposed to IPV during pregnancy were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. Results: The core category 'Struggling to survive for the sake of the unborn baby' emerged as the main concern of women who are exposed to IPV during pregnancy. The core category also demonstrates how the survivors handle their situation. Also, three sub-core categories emerged, 'Trapped in the situation' demonstrates how the... (More)
Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a serious matter which threatens maternal and fetal health. The aim of this study was to develop a grounded theoretical model of women's experience of IPV during pregnancy and how they handle their situation. Method: Ten interviews with women who had experience of being exposed to IPV during pregnancy were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. Results: The core category 'Struggling to survive for the sake of the unborn baby' emerged as the main concern of women who are exposed to IPV during pregnancy. The core category also demonstrates how the survivors handle their situation. Also, three sub-core categories emerged, 'Trapped in the situation' demonstrates how the pregnant women feel when trapped in the relationship and cannot find their way out. 'Exposed to mastery' demonstrates the destructive togetherness whereby the perpetrator's behavior jeopardizes the safety of the woman and the unborn child. 'Degradation process' demonstrates the survivor's experience of gradual degradation as a result of the relationship with the perpetrator. All are properties of the core category and part of the theoretical model. Conclusion: The theoretical model "Struggling to survive for the sake of the unborn baby" highlights survival as the pregnant women's main concern and explains their strategies for dealing with experiences of violence during pregnancy. The findings may provide a deeper understanding of this complex matter for midwives and other health care providers. Further, the theoretical model can provide a basis for the development and implementation of prevention and intervention programs that meet the individual woman's needs. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Intimate partner violence, Pregnancy, Experience
in
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
volume
14
article number
293
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • wos:000341395100002
  • scopus:84908457622
ISSN
1471-2393
DOI
10.1186/1471-2393-14-293
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: The Vårdal Institute (016540000), Child, Family and Reproductive Health (013220003)
id
d6d0a817-181c-4f9c-a1dd-c5752d9825d1 (old id 4714010)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:32:34
date last changed
2022-03-29 07:58:37
@article{d6d0a817-181c-4f9c-a1dd-c5752d9825d1,
  abstract     = {{Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a serious matter which threatens maternal and fetal health. The aim of this study was to develop a grounded theoretical model of women's experience of IPV during pregnancy and how they handle their situation. Method: Ten interviews with women who had experience of being exposed to IPV during pregnancy were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. Results: The core category 'Struggling to survive for the sake of the unborn baby' emerged as the main concern of women who are exposed to IPV during pregnancy. The core category also demonstrates how the survivors handle their situation. Also, three sub-core categories emerged, 'Trapped in the situation' demonstrates how the pregnant women feel when trapped in the relationship and cannot find their way out. 'Exposed to mastery' demonstrates the destructive togetherness whereby the perpetrator's behavior jeopardizes the safety of the woman and the unborn child. 'Degradation process' demonstrates the survivor's experience of gradual degradation as a result of the relationship with the perpetrator. All are properties of the core category and part of the theoretical model. Conclusion: The theoretical model "Struggling to survive for the sake of the unborn baby" highlights survival as the pregnant women's main concern and explains their strategies for dealing with experiences of violence during pregnancy. The findings may provide a deeper understanding of this complex matter for midwives and other health care providers. Further, the theoretical model can provide a basis for the development and implementation of prevention and intervention programs that meet the individual woman's needs.}},
  author       = {{Finnbogadottir, Hafrun and Dykes, Anna-Karin and Wann-Hansson, Christine}},
  issn         = {{1471-2393}},
  keywords     = {{Intimate partner violence; Pregnancy; Experience}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth}},
  title        = {{Struggling to survive for the sake of the unborn baby: a grounded theory model of exposure to intimate partner violence during pregnancy}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/3438839/5404215}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/1471-2393-14-293}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}