Perinatal outcomes of intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy: A systematic review protocol

Background: Pregnancy and childbirth is a crucial developmental phase in the life of a woman and her newborn(s). It becomes increasingly challenging if the pregnant woman is exposed to any Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) or domestic violence during this period. Neonatal outcomes depend largely on the mother’s health and wellbeing. Though IPV could be present even during pregnancy, it is not reported especially in a patriarchal culture. It also seems to be neglected in the perinatal health care by the health care professionals. It is pertinent for health care professionals to be aware of this during pregnancy, so that the mother and her newborn do not face any adverse outcomes. Objective: To identify the perinatal outcomes in pregnant women (who had experienced Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during their pregnancy) and their newborns. Method: A comprehensive literature search will be made in the following databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Proquest, IndMed and ScienceDirect for retrieving the related studies. This systematic review will be conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A search strategy will be formulated. Data will be collected and analyzed according to the objective. Data extraction and data evaluation for its quality will be done. This review will include observational/analytical studies like cohort, case-control, cross-sectional studies and prevalence surveys. Narrative reviews, dissertations, case-reports, letters to the editor will be excluded. Conclusion: Though there is a growing evidence suggesting that IPV can cause serious consequences, it is unclear as to what are the specific perinatal outcomes that may affect a woman when she suffers from IPV during the period of her pregnancy. The proposed study would help in adding to the existing evidence.