Exploring the Association of Intimate Partner Violence and Statewide Abortion Restrictiveness [ID 2683529

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Intimate partner violence (IPV) in pregnancy may result in poor maternal and infant health outcomes. Intimate partner violence may lead to unintended pregnancy, and denial of wanted abortions can increase the risk of future IPV. Prior to the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, many states had already enacted policies hindering access to abortion. Whether state-level abortion restrictions are associated with IPV remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the relationship between IPV during pregnancy and abortion restrictions. METHODS: We analyzed data from 38 states participating in the CDC Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System in 2020 representing 1,368,237 deliveries. We divided states into restrictive (N=16) and nonrestrictive (N=22) categories based on the Guttmacher Abortion Policy Hostility Index. We used weighted logistic regression to assess the relationship between state abortion restrictiveness and self-reported IPV. RESULTS: Those who lived in restrictive states reported 1.52 times (95% CI, 1.24, 1.87) higher likelihood of experiencing IPV during pregnancy compared to those in nonrestrictive states, adjusting for confounding factors. Among Black individuals, those who lived in restrictive states reported 1.64 times (95% CI, 1.15, 2.34) higher likelihood of experiencing IPV compared to those in nonrestrictive states. White individuals in restrictive states reported 1.48 times (95% CI, 1.15, 1.91) higher likelihood of experiencing IPV than those in nonrestrictive states. CONCLUSION: Even when abortion was federally protected, individuals in restrictive states had an increased likelihood of experiencing IPV. These findings highlight potential detrimental effects of recent abortion bans on health and health inequities.